


Harry Potter And The Immortals

by angelholme



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-13
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-05-26 13:06:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 47,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6240499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelholme/pseuds/angelholme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry Potter has finally come to Hogwarts, but it's not entirely clear if Hogwarts is going to survive the occasion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer**
> 
> Harry Potter (et al) belong to JK Rowling.
> 
> **Notes**
> 
> The story is set to last two years (it's a very short story) and is - I admit - somewhat "cracky", in that while I have a plot, I am planning to have a lot of fun with this and not take it all that seriously (like - say - Into The Black or The Silent Trio).
> 
> There are also some more characters who are not included in the list, as well as a same-sex relationship, but including them in the tags would definitely spoil the surprise I am going for.

Harry Potter stared down the length of Kings' Cross Platform 9, then turned back to here his family were stood waiting.

"It's the seventh pillar down - I have to walk through it at a reasonable speed, and it will take me on to Platform 9 3/4" He said, then smiled at the disbelieving looks on the faces of all three of the Dursley's.

"Just when I think the wizarding world....." Petunia started.

"Magical world" Harry interjected, making Petunia roll her eyes.

"....can't get any stranger, it usually does" She finished "You are sure?" Harry simply stared back at her "What am I saying, of course you're sure" 

"I know it sounds kooky, but they could hardly put a giant sign over it saying 'This way to the magical train station'" Harry replied with a grin "Are you three going to be able to cope for the next nine months? The......" He looked around, then lowered his voice "The helpers I've set up should take care of most of the things, and there is a chance I can come back over Christmas and possibly Easter to re-apply them" He paused "That is assuming they let The Boy Who Lived leave the magical world once he re-enters it"

"We'll be fine, Harry" Vernon reached over and pulled him into a hug, then watched as Petunia did the same "We lived a fair part of our life before you came into them and managed perfectly well - a few months out of the year aren't going to kill us" 

"I know - I just worry"

"We know, and we love you for it" Petunia hugged him again, then took a step back as Harry turned to his cousin.

"So - Big-D, stay out of trouble" He said, making Dudley burst out laughing.

"You say that like you aren't the one who causes most of our problems to start with" He said, pretending to frown at Harry.

"Moi?" Harry said, looking as innocent as he could.

"Who was it that changed the school flag into a V for Vendetta symbol?" Dudley said, staring at him intently. Harry grinned.

"Totally worth it" He said, making all four of them laugh, then Harry glanced at his watch "Sorry to break this up, but the ticket says the train departs at 11, and I want to make sure I get a seat"

"I expect a letter by next Saturday with all the news - including what House you've got into, or I am going to come up there and find out in person" Petunia pretended to glare at him. 

"Cross my heart and hope to fly" Harry grinned back at her, and she smiled.

"Then go - embrace your destiny" She gave him a final hug, then the three of them watched as he pushed his trolley down the platform and up to the pillar, then vanished through it.

"Well - I guess that's something you don't see every day" Vernon said, then he looked around "So - shall we go out for lunch?"


	2. How To Make Friends And Influence People

"Would you like some help with that, Miss?" Hermione looked round to see a boy standing behind her. He looked about her age, although he was a little smaller than she was.

"Are you sure you can help me?" She asked, trying not to grin as she looked him up and down. He gave her a shy smile back.

"I thought between the two of us we could get both our trunks onto the train" He explained "My Aunt is a big believer in co-operation making things easier" He screwed up his face "By the strength of our common endeavours, we...... make something bigger than the sum of its parts?" 

"Not exactly the right quote, but I get the idea" Hermione said "My parents are big believers in co-operation and working together as well" She looked down at the trunks "So - shall we?"

"We shall" The boy nodded, then bent down and took one end of the trunk. Hermione picked up the other, and together they carried it on to the train, down the corridor and into the first compartment they found. Pausing to get their breath back, they lifted it up into the parcel shelf. 

"Don't take this the wrong way but what have you got in there?" The boy asked, leaning against the compartment door "Because bugger me it weighs a tonne"

"I may have packed a few extra books" She admitted, blushing slightly.

"A few?" He looked up at the trunk again "It feels like you've got the entire British Library in there!" 

"Oh it's not that bad!" She glared at him "Do you want to go and get your trunk?"

"I suppose we should" He grinned "Since I have the Library of Congress in there, it would be a shame to leave it behind" Hermione glared at him again, then they both turned to the compartment door to see a pair of red-headed twins holding a trunk between them.

"Greetings" The first twin said "We found this lying on the platform on the door, and since the train was due to depart, we thought someone might be missing it"

"It's mine - thank you" The boy said. 

"It's yours?" The second twin asked, and Hermione realised they were both staring at the boy with identical shocked expressions.

"Yes, it's mine" The boy nodded, then he took a deep breath and let it out slowly "And yes, I am he"

"He who?" Hermione asked, looking back and forth between the boy and the twins.

"You're really him?" The first twin asked again. The boy let out an exasperated sigh, then pushed the long fringe he had to one side, revealing a scar in the shape of a lightening bolt.

"YOU'RE HARRY POTTER?" Hermione exclaimed in surprise.

"The one and only" Harry nodded. 

"The Boy Who Lived?" Hermione continued to stare at him in shock.

"Yes" He nodded again, then looked at the twins "Thank you for bringing my trunk..... I'm sorry - I have no clue who you are"

"Oh, how you wound us!" The first twin raised his hand to his brow, looking faint "Here we thought our reputation had proceeded us, even unto the muggle world. But now you say we are unknown" Harry and Hermione exchanged glances, then both smiled.

"Sorry - but if you tell us your names, then the next time we go home we can spread the news of your reputation to the rest of our world" Hermione said, then frowned "What is your reputation, exactly?" 

"Again you wound us!" The second twin mirrored the actions of his brother "We are Fred and George Weasley, primarily known as the premier prestigious pranksters, performing perilous yet perfect prestidigitations for the purpose of propagating mirth, merriment and 'musement" Hermione stared at him, raising a single eyebrow.

"'musement?" She asked.

"Couldn't think of a third word staring with M that meant the same thing" The second twin shrugged "I am George, by the way, and this is my ingenious brother Fred"

"I thought I was George?" The first twin said, looking confused.

"No - it's an odd numbered day, so I get to be George today" The second twin grinned, then they both looked back at the two first years "Do you want a hand getting your trunk....." He trailed off as he watched Harry and Hermione lift the trunk up onto the parcel shelf together "Never mind"

"Thank you for bringing it in" Harry said with a smile.

"When we saw The Boy Who Lived's trunk sat on the platform, we thought we should find its owner before someone less upstanding and trustworthy than us found it" Fred said in a kindly tone, then he lowered his voice "I don't know if you realise this, but a lot of the students - from the first year upwards - are excited to learn you were coming to school this year"

"I actually do realise that" Harry replied, then glanced at Hermione "If you want to find a less.... desirable friend, I won't mind"

"You think you'll have so many friends you won't need me?" Hermione asked, pretending to look sad. Harry gazed at her for a moment, then rolled his eyes.

"You almost had me there - has anyone ever told you you are a very good actress?" He said, smirking.

"One or two people" Hermione nodded, smiling "Sadly my parents cottoned on to that fact when I was about five, and I haven't been able to get away with anything since" She sighed "No one has suffered like I have suffered"

"Oh you poor, unfortunate soul" Harry said, looking at her sympathetically "And to answer your original question, I would rather have one person who wanted to be friends with Harry than an entire school who wants to be friends with The Boy Who Lived" 

"It would seem young Harry is a bit of a charmer, Fred" George said, making Harry blush "Anyway - we will leave you to enjoy your journey, Mr Potter, Miss....."

"Granger - Hermione Jane Granger, at your service" Hermione bobbed a small curtsey.

"Another charmer" Fred said with a grin "But - as I said - we will leave you two charming young students to enjoy your journey" He paused "I don't know what house or houses you'll be sorted into, but if you need any help during the year, don't hesitate to ask" Hermione looked over at Harry, who gave a single nod.

"We'll keep that in mind, Mr Weasley, Mr Weasley" She said.

"Oh - Mr Weasley is our mother. Call us Fred and George" Fred said, making Hermione laugh and Harry frown in confusion.

"Or Gred and Forge" George added, then he smiled "But - as much fun as we are having with you - we both have a girlfriend waiting for us at the far end of the train, and I think it is time we went to say hello"

"One girlfriend between the two of you, or one girlfriend each?" Hermione asked, raising her eyebrow again.

"One girlfriend each" Fred replied, blushing slightly "While we are both purebloods, The Weasley family has never gone in for some of the more..... obscure customs and practices of the wizarding world" 

"Besides, it's far more common for one man to have many wives" George added "It's very rare - almost unheard of - for two men to marry the same woman"

"The general assumption being women are more comfortable sharing their man with other women, but no man would want to share a woman with another man" Hermione said, and both twins nodded "I am pretty sure I know the answer to this, but has the magical world ever heard of Women's Lib? Feminism? Equal rights?" The blank stares coming back from the twins gave her all the answer she needed "Never mind"

"Enjoy your first trip" Fred said with a polite bow "And we'll see you at The Sorting" 

"The Sorting?" Harry asked.

"It's how you are put into one of the four houses" George said "But don't worry about it - no one has died fighting the troll for at least half a century" Before either Harry or Hermione could reply, both twins walked off down the corridor, both giving a single wave over their shoulder.

"A troll?" Hermione looked at Harry.

"I know my Aunt thinks the magical world is crazy, but I don't think a school is going to do something that kills the students on their first day" He replied "At least I hope not" He slid the door closed, then sat down "Plus they are the premier...... purveyors of mirth and merriment and..... 'musement" Hermione laughed.

"Well - since we are talking about this sorting business anyway, what house would you like to be in?" Harry looked back at her.

"House?" He asked, sounding confused.

xoxox

Ronald Weasley tromped down the train corridor, frowning slightly. He'd looked in every compartment in the first five carriages of The Express, but so far hadn't found anyone who matched the universally known description of The Boy Who Lived. 

He knew he had the right description - the books his sister loved and adored were very well illustrated and although he didn't read them as much as Ginny did, he had seen enough of them to know what he was looking for. 

He knew there were two more carriages to search, but surely a boy this famous - the boy who had defeated You-Know-Who and saved the magical world - would be in amongst the thick of things. Making friends with the right sort of wizards and basking in the glory that he rightfully deserved. 

So where was he? Why wasn't he near the front of the train with the majority of the students. Even The Slytherins were sat in the middle, for Merlin's sake. His brothers had made it very clear that the back of the train was for the friendless, pitiful losers who didn't have anywhere else to go, and there was no way the hero of the magical world would fall into that category.

Maybe he had missed him. Ron looked down the train to the rear carriages, then back up the train towards the engine. It was possible that Harry was in a compartment he had passed, surrounded by friends.

With a final glance down the train, he turned back and started walking up the corridor again.

xoxox

"Hermione - you aren't trying to get in on The Weasley's act, are you?" He asked "Because that really does sound like something that a fifth year would make up to mess with a first year's head" Hermione laughed, the mimed crossing her heart.

"It was in one of the books I read - Hogwarts: A History - and the author is a well respected member of the magical community" She replied primly, then added "At least that's what it says on the back of the book"

"It just seems so...... weird" Harry said, resting his hands on his legs "You take a child at the age of eleven, pick what you think is their defining trait and then stick them into a group of other children with exactly the same trait" He paused "So you get a house of supposedly brave kids, a house of brainboxes and a house of people who are - essentially - cunning and sneaky and ready to stab each other in the back to get ahead" He paused "How does anyone think this is a way to organise a school?"

"The Four Founders were supposedly the best and brightest witches and wizards of the age" Hermione replied "But that was just over a thousand years ago, so maybe educational ideas were different back then" 

"I suppose" Harry shrugged "So - where do you think you'll end up?" He glanced up at the trunk above her head "If they count the number of books......"

"What if I told you that one of the books was The Art of War?"

"Sun Tzu?" Harry asked, and Hermione nodded "So that would put you in Slytherin?"

"Cunning and ambitious" Hermione grinned back at him "Or if the books were the Green Gables series, or Little Women"

"I don't think I've read those" Harry admitted.

"They are all about friendship and loyalty and being true to yourself" She said "Hufflepuff virtues all"

"So basically you could end up in any of the houses, depending on what....... depending on how they work out your defining trait?" Harry asked, and Hermione nodded again.

"But how do you know what your defining trait is?" Harry continued "I mean - I get on with my family, I've worked on pulling pranks and playing tricks with my cousin, but I've also tried to excel at school to make my Aunt and Uncle proud of me" He paused "So do I belong in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw?" 

"You've grown your hair longer, to cover your scar" Hermione said, smiling "If that isn't cunning, I don't know what is" 

"See" He threw his arms up in exasperation, then let out a sigh "There's probably not a lot we can do about this, right?"

"Probably not" Hermione sighed as well, then bit her lip "Harry?"

"Yes, Hermione?" Harry looked up at her.

"Do you think we'll end up in the same house?" She asked, her voice wavering slightly.

"I don't know" He replied honestly "I hope so - you're the only friend I've made so far, apart from The Wonderful Weasleys, and if the school is split up by these houses, then I might not get to spend any more time with you"

"That's very sweet, Harry" She smiled across the compartment at him. He started to smile back, then looked around as the doors to their compartment slid open, and a boy with silver blonde hair and what he could only describe as sarcastic sneer walked in.

"Hello" Harry said in a friendly tone "I'm...."

"I know who you are" The boy said, looking him up and down "You're the infamous Boy Who Lived - the boy who defeated The Dark Lord and saved the world"

"Apparently" Harry replied "I was fifteen months old at the time, so some of the more salient details escape me" He gave the boy a friendly smile "You know who I am - who are you?"

"Malfoy" The boy said "Draco Malfoy"

"Please to meet you" Harry smiled "This is my friend Hermione Granger" Hermione gave a polite nod, but Draco didn't look at her. Instead he continued to stare at Harry.

"You've been away from the magical world for a long time, Mr Potter - it might be wise to make some friends who can help you ease yourself back in" Draco paused, then glanced at Hermione for a second before looking back at Harry "Who can help you learn what kind of friends to have, what kind of associations to make" Harry stared at him for a moment, then narrowed his eyes.

"I believe, Mr Malfoy, I am capable of making my own friends" He said after a long moment "But thank you for your offer - I will keep it in mind, and if I do have trouble, I will be sure to come and see you" Draco glared at him.

"You should be careful, Potter" He said darkly "Or you may find yourself ending up like your parents" 

"Popular, universally beloved, friends in every corner of the country?" Harry asked in fake confusion.

"Or being willing to give their lives to save someone they loved?" Hermione added. Draco's scowl deepened, then he turned and stormed out of the compartment. As the door slammed behind him, Harry turned to Hermione.

"Is it just me, or was that kind of fun?" He asked.

xoxox

"Look who it is" Draco sneered "The youngest Weasel and all his friends" Ron glared back at him, but kept his mouth shut "What's the matter, Weasel - can't your family afford to buy you any friends?" 

"Shut up, Malfoy" Ron said through gritted teeth. 

"Why don't you go down the back of the train - turns out the boy who lived is back there"

"Harry Potter's at the back of the train?" Ron asked, trying to sound as disinterested as possible.

"Yeah - he's back there making friends with a mudblood" Draco tried to fill his voice with as much contempt as possible. 

"Pffft" Ron rolled his eyes "Maybe I'll go find him, and show him what he's missing" Draco quirked an eyebrow, then walked past him. Ron waited until he'd left the carriage, then he turned and headed towards the back. 

xoxox

"Hufflepuff, the loyal and true - is that the place for me and you?" Harry sung in a slightly off key voice.

"Ravenclaw, the smart and bright - will we be sleeping there tonight?" Hermione sung back.

"Gryffindor, the bold and brave...... if I get there, I'll give you a wave" Harry warbled, making Hermione laugh. 

"Slytherin, the cunning and.... what's a good single syllable word for sneaky?" She asked. Harry closed his eyes, looking thoughtful.

"Wise?" He suggested "Although from what you said, that's more suited to Ravenclaw"

"So we make Ravenclaw the smart and wise?" Hermione said, then she shook her head "The only word I can think of to rhyme it is lies, and that's really not the best choice" 

"Wise and smart?" Harry replied "Where all our thoughts are a work of art?" 

"And Slytherin, cunning and bright - where we will be sleeping tonight" Hermione nodded.

"You want to be a Slytherin?" A voice came from the door and both of them turned to see a red-headed boy stood there.

"We were just making up a song extolling the virtues of each of the houses" Hermione explained "We haven't really thought about what house we're going to be in"

"You don't want to be in Slytherin" The boy said, walking a little further in to the compartment and letting the door slide shut behind him "There isn't a witch or wizard who turned bad who wasn't in Slytherin" Harry quirked an eyebrow at him, but stayed silent.

"Maybe we want to turn bad" Hermione said with a wicked grin.

"Maybe we're a pair of wowdy webels!" Harry added gleefully. The boy stared at them, looking confused. Hermione glanced at Harry, then took pity on their guest.

"We're just saying that neither of us knew anything about magic before this year, so - aside from what's in Hogwarts: A History, we don't know anything about any of the houses" She explained.

"Before I met Hermione, I didn't even know what a house was" Harry added, then smiled "I mean - I knew what a house was - I live in one with my Aunt and Uncle. I just didn't know what a Hogwarts House was" He paused "Is"

"Well - maybe I can help" The boy said "My five older brothers all went to Hogwarts - three of them still do - and my parents and their parents all went as well"

"Mr Weasley?" Harry asked, looking him up and down.

"You know who I am?"

"I think we met two of your brothers earlier on" Hermione replied "They were kind enough to help us with Harry's trunk, then they introduced themselves as Gred and Forge Weasley, Premier Practical Purveyors of Mirth and Merriment" 

"That sounds like Fred and George" The boy smiled "I'm Ron"

"Hermione Granger"

"Harry Potter"

"I know who you are" Ron replied "The Boy Who Lived" Harry rolled his eyes.

"You realise that I didn't know I was called that until about five days ago, right?" He said.

"How do you....."

"I was raised by my Aunt and my Uncle in the non-magical world" Harry interrupted "I didn't know anything about magic until I got a letter from Bulbous Snumblegore"

"Albus Dumbledore" Hermione said, trying not to smile, while Ron didn't bother and actually sniggered.

"So you know nothing about the wizarding world?" Ron looked at him in disbelief "But you're The Boy Who Lived!"

"I'm a first born witch" Hermione said, moving over to sit next to Harry "Would you expect me to know all about the magical world?"

"No" Ron shook his head "You're a muggle-born - why would you know about the wizarding world?"

"But Harry was raised by two non-magical people, and their non-magical son" Hermione explained.

"My Aunt knew that her sister - my mother - was magical, but they apparently had a falling out and didn't speak to each other" Harry paused "They decided to keep me in the dark about it until they knew one way or the other"

"Knew what?" Ron asked curiously.

"If I was magic or not" Harry said "If I didn't get a letter, they wouldn't tell me anything about the magical world - why taunt me with fantasies of what I missed?" 

"Wow" Ron exhaled quietly "I thought The Boy Who Lived would know everything about the wizarding world and take his place in Hogwarts. I never thought......" He paused "Sorry"

"For what?" Hermione asked "You didn't know about Harry's past, and if you want to stay and talk, we could trade information" 

"Huh?" Ron stared at her in confusion again.

"You know a lot about the magical world, right?" Hermione said in a patient tone.

"Yes" Ron nodded.

"Well - we know a lot about the non-magical world" Hermione said "So if you tell us things we don't know about the magical world, then we can tell you things you don't know about the non-magical world" 

"Why would I want to learn about the muggle world?" Ron asked, sounding genuinely confused. Harry and Hermione exchanged another glance, then Harry took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Look, Ron - I don't know anything about what happened that night. Like I said, I was fifteen months old, and I really can't remember much of anything before I was about four or five" He paused "But we....." He gestured to Hermione, then himself "Really don't know a lot about the magical world that we are about to be thrust into, and if you could help us avoid any big mistakes or embarrassing misunderstandings, we'd be most grateful" He paused "We just don't know what we can offer in return, since all we really know about is the non-magical world" 

"Maybe......." Ron paused, then shrugged "Maybe we could just be friends?" He paused "My house was a little..... isolated. I only knew a few other wizarding kids - a friend of my sister's who is nicknamed Loony Lovegood and a boy named Cedric Diggory - he's in Hufflepuff and a fourth year, so I don't think we'll hang around together"

"I've made exactly one friend" Hermione said, looking at Harry "I tried to talk to some other girls, but when I told them I was the first witch in my family, they all looked at me as if I was something they'd scraped off the sole of their shoes" 

"Yeah" Ron sighed "There are some wizards and witches who think that anyone who wasn't brought up in the wizarding world is...... not worth talking to" He paused, then let out another long sigh "Do you want your first lesson about the wizarding world? Because it's not a nice one"

"Tell us the worst" Hermione said. 

"Okay" Ron took a deep breath "The wizarding world is divided into three groups......."

xoxox

"......and basically that's what my parents do" Hermione finished, then started laughing at the expression on Ron's face "So there aren't a lot of dentists in the magical world then?"

"No" Ron shook his head "Your parents really fix people's teeth? You aren't just making a joke?"

"It's what they do" Hermione said with a smile, then she looked out of the window as they felt the train start to slow down "I think we're nearly there"

"We should get changed" Harry said, bounding to his feet "Ron - can you give me a hand with my trunk? My robes are inside"

"Sure" They walked over and lifted the trunk down. While Harry opened it and rummaged inside, Ron looked over at Hermione.

"My trunk is back at the other end of the train. But I can meet you on the platform?"

"We'll see you there" Hermione nodded "Oh - do you know what we do with our trunks? Do we carry them with us?"

"No - my brother said The House Elves will take care of them" Ron replied, then turned and left the compartment. As Harry pulled his robes out of his trunk, he turned and pulled the door open.

"I'm going to go change in the loo. You can pull the blinds down and lock the door - I'll knock when I come back"

"Okay" Hermione nodded, then frowned "What are House Elves?"

xoxox

"FIRST YEARS! FIRST YEARS OVER HERE!" Harry, Hermione and Ron all stared down the platform to where the voice was coming from. 

"That's Hagrid" Harry said "He's the grounds keeper here" 

"How......"

"He was the one who took me to Diagon Alley for my school stuff" Harry anticipated Ron's question.

"FIRST YEARS OVER HERE!" Hagrid called out again.

"I guess we go that way" Hermione said, then she, Ron and Harry set off down the platform. 

A few minutes later, Hagrid lead them and the rest of the first years to a dock on the edge of a huge lake. 

"Four to a boat" Hagrid called out in a slightly less loud voice "Four to a boat, please" Harry climbed into the nearest empty boat, then turned to see Ron helping Hermione in next. 

"Mind if I join you?" A girl with blonde curly hair stood on the dock, looking down at them.

"The more the merrier" Hermione said, offering her hand. The girl climbed into the boat, then Ron climbed in after her.

"So..... what now?" Harry asked "Do we stick our hands in the water and paddle?" Before the others could respond, the boat suddenly started sliding forwards, cutting through the water. 

"How......." Hermione started.

"Magic" Harry replied before she could finish, making her roll her eyes.

They fell silent for a few moments, then all four reflexively ducked as they travelled under a bridge, only realising a moment later that if Hagrid could fit underneath it, they were probably not in any danger of banging their heads.

A moment later, the girl let out a short gasp and raised her hand. The other three looked where she was pointing, and they all let out a similar gasp.

"Hogwarts" Ron said.

"Hogwarts" The girl said.

"Hogwarts" Hermione said. 

"It's only a model" Harry said under his breath, then he smiled.

"Seems nice" He said "Almost like coming home"


	3. Sorting It All Out

"Here are the first years, Professor McGonagall" Hagrid gestured to the assembled group of students in The Entrance Hall.

"Thank you, Hagrid" The older woman - apparently named McGonagall - gave him a brief nod, then - as he turned and ambled out of the castle, she looked down at the new intake of first years.

"Good evening" She said in a broad Scottish accent "My name is Professor Minerva McGonagall, and I am the Deputy Headmistress, Transfiguration Professor and Head of Gryffindor House" She paused "In a moment you will be taken into The Great Hall, where you will be sorted into your House" She looked over the group, making a note of which ones seemed to know what was coming.

"Your House will be your home over the next seven years at Hogwarts" She continued "Your triumphs will be its triumphs and your failures will be its failures. Your House will be like your family......" She trailed off as she realised one of the students had raised their hand "Yes, Miss....."

"Granger" Hermione said "Hermione Granger. I just had a question about the Houses"

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Are there any common rooms?" Hermione asked.

"Each House has its own common room" McGonagall nodded.

"No - I mean any common common rooms" Hermione persisted "Where the Houses can mix and talk to each other"

"Why on earth would we have those?" McGonagall looked at her in bemusement.

"Well - if we can only be in lessons, or stuck with our family, aren't you worried that we might get sick of them?" Hermione looked up at the teacher "I mean - haven't you got a member of your family that you don't really like? Who just rubs you up the wrong way and you can't stand?"

"I get along well with my entire family, Miss Granger" McGonagall said.

"Well I think you are probably unique" Hermione replied with a slight smile "I mean, I love my parents, and I loved my baby brother, but there were times that I just wanted all of them to vanish off the face of the earth and never come back" She paused "I'm just worried if I have to spend every evening for the next seven years with people it turns out I hate......." She trailed off "Well - you probably kick people out if they kill one of the other students, don't you?" McGonagall stared down at her with a surprised expression.

"What are you saying, Miss Granger?"

"That sometimes you want to spend some time alone, and if you are trapped in a room, or a tower, or a dungeon, with fifty other people, it's hard to do that" Hermione paused "It was just a suggestion" McGonagall gazed down at her.

"I will look into it, Miss Granger" She said with a dismissive sniff.

"Thank you, Professor" Hermione gave her a polite smile.

"As I was saying - your House will be like your family, and your behaviour will reflect on your House. If you do well, you will be rewarded with House Points, and if you do badly, you will be punished by removal of said points. At the end of the year, the House that has accumulated the most points will win The House Cup" McGonagall looked around "Each House also has its own Quidditch team, however first years are generally not permitted to play on these, because it requires a certain level of experience"

"I've been flying since I was four years old, Professor" Malfoy said from the side of the group.

"That is as maybe, Mr Malfoy - if you wish, trials are generally held towards the end of September and the start of October. Consult your Head of House or Quidditch Captain for further information" McGonagall looked back at the group "If you would all wait here, I will go and prepare The Great Hall for The Sorting" She turned and walked towards two large doors on the other side of The Entrance Hall and closed them behind her.

"We get sorted in public?" Ron asked "Does that mean it's not a troll?"

"A troll?" A girl with blonde pigtails snorted in amusement "Who told you that?"

"My brothers" Ron said, then he sighed "I'm going to kill them"

"How come he gets to threaten to kill other students, and I get glared at for doing it?" Hermione asked Harry in a quiet voice, making him laugh.

"Maybe it's a pureblood vs first born thing" He replied equally quietly "Do you think she'll do anything about the common room thing?"

"Based on experience? Probably not" Hermione replied, then they both looked up as the doors to The Great Hall opened up, revealing McGonagall stood under the arch.

"This way, please" She said, gesturing towards The Hall. Harry and Hermione exchanged glances, then walked forward, following McGonagall into The Hall. They walked down the central aisle, then lined up in front of an ancient, battered hat resting on a three legged stool.

"When I call out your name, you will come forward and put the hat on your head" McGonagall called out, picking up a scroll and unrolling it.

"That's it? We just have to put a stupid piece of cloth on our head?" Ron asked, slightly disbelievingly. Harry and Hermione both smiled, then Harry's eyes widened as he watched the hat.

"Is it just me, or is that hat glaring at us?" He asked. Hermione, Ron and the curly haired girl followed his gaze, just in time to see a mouth appear at the bottom of the hat.

"I am the Hogwarts Sorting Hat, and some say I am strange and odd.  
But when it comes to finding your place, I am the voice of god.  
I pick your....."

McGonagall blinked in surprise as the hat suddenly stopped singing. She walked round until she could see the front of it. Despite the fact the hat had no eyes, and therefore couldn't be said to be staring at anything, McGonagall got the distinct impression that the hat was, in fact, staring at the line of students in front of it - or, more specifically, a small group of the students in front of it. A group - she noted - that included Harry Potter.

"Hem hem" She cleared her throat "Is there a problem?"

"No" The hat appeared to look at her, then back at the students "Just get on with it"

"But you didn't finish....."

"Just. Get. On. With. It" The hat repeated in a much firmer tone. McGonagall looked over at the Headmaster for direction, but he appeared to be as baffled as she was.

"Very well then" She looked down at the scroll "HANNAH ABBOTT!" A girl with blonde pigtails bounded out of the middle of the group and up to the stool. She picked up the hat, then turned, and lowered it on to her head.

For a few moments nothing happened, then the hat yelled out "HUFFLEPUFF" in a surprisingly loud voice. The girl - now with a huge smile on her face - bounded to her feet, took the hat off and put it down on the stool, then ran over to a table that was now full of applauding students.

"SUSAN BONES" McGonagall called out. Another girl - this time with wavy red hair - walked over to the stool. Harry watched for as long as it took the girl - Susan it appeared - to lower the hat on to her head, then he looked over at Hermione.

"This is going to take forever" He said quietly. 

"I know" Hermione replied, still watching as the hat decided Susan Bones future. 

"You'd think they'd have thought up a better way to do this" Harry paused when the hat bellowed "HUFFLEPUFF" then continued "They've had what? A thousand years to fix it up?" As the Hufflepuff table burst into applause again, he rolled his eyes "You've got to wonder what kind of moron thought up this half-baked idea" 

"Hogwarts: A History is a little close-mouthed over which of The Founders came up with the idea" Hermione admitted "But my money is on..."

"RAVENCLAW" They both looked round as a black haired boy removed the hat then walked over to what was apparently the Ravenclaw table.

"Oh good lord" Harry rolled his eyes as another name was called out "Do you think we could go out and get a burger while we wait for our name to be called?" Hermione giggled, while Ron and the girl with the curly blonde hair - who, they had learned had the somewhat improbable name of Sally Henrietta Anne Reingette Perks, although she preferred to go by Sally - both stared at them in utter bemusement.

"What's a burger?" Ron asked.

"You don't have burgers in the magical world?" Hermione asked.

"Apparently not" Sally said "What's a burger?" Hermione opened her mouth to answer.

"HERMIONE GRANGER" McGonagall called out. Hermione looked round, then closed her mouth, turned and confidently strode down the centre aisle taking a seat on the three legged stool, then glanced up as McGonagall lowered the hat onto her head.

"Miss Gra...... I thought I recognised you. I was wondering when you would arrive"

"Miss me?"

"Like a hostage misses their kidnapper" The teasing tone in the hat's voice was clear, making Hermione smile.

"Do you know if anyone else has come back this year?" She asked.

"Now, now - you know the rules. If I tell you what I learn from the other students' sorting, then you are the last student I will ever be able to sort"

"Oh yeah - I forgot about that. You can't even give me a hint? Say - when you sort someone else, put a word like Kangaroo or something in front of the House Name?"

"Kangaroo?"

"Or something like that"

"KANGAROO?" She had to admit, she had not realised anything, let alone a piece of haberdashery, could put so much sarcasm into a single word.

"You don't have to be mean about it" She pouted.

"Yes I do - did you forget that as well?"

"Just sort me already - if you aren't going to be the good girl you always have to be, then just get this farcical ceremony over with"

"Yes, boss" Hermione could picture the hat saluting, despite the fact it didn't have arms or shoulders "GRYFFINDOR!"

Hermione took the hat off, lowered it to the stool and - with a smile - skipped over to the table on the far right.

"Oh god" Ron let out mix of a sigh and a moan.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Now we're going to be stuck in the same house as that brain-box bookworm" Ron rolled his eyes "I thought for sure she'd be in Ravenclaw"

"How do you know you'll be in Gryffindor?" Sally asked. Ron turned to stare at her as if she was crazy.

"Why wouldn't I be in Gryffindor?" He asked, sounding genuinely confused at the suggestion.

"Maybe you'll be in Slytherin" She replied with a slightly wicked grin. Harry couldn't help smirking as Ron's face lost all of its colour.

"Me? A Slytherin?" He said, voice almost silent.

"Stranger things have happened" Sally said. 

"That horse that became pope for one" Harry added, then shook his head at the twin looks of confusion "Never mind"

Ron's gaze alternated between the two of them, then he looked back at the front again, where a somewhat frumpy, nervous looking boy was sat under the hat.

"GRYFFINDOR" A look of relief came over the boy's face, and - lowering the hat to the stool - he walked over to sit down next to Hermione.

"DRACO MALFOY" McGonagall called out. Harry, Ron and Sally all watched as Draco strode proudly forward, picked up the hat, sat down and then lowered the hat towards his head.

"SLYTHERIN" 

Harry blinked, wondering if he was imagining it. He could have sworn that the hat had made its pronouncement before Draco had finished putting it on. But that would mean either the hat could read someone's mind when it wasn't in contact with their head, or it was so supremely confident in where Draco Malfoy would end up that it hadn't bothered waiting until it had scanned Draco's thoughts.

"PADMA PATIL" Harry shook his head, realising he had got slightly lost in his thoughts, then watched the young Indian girl get sorted into Ravenclaw. 

"PARVATI PATIL" Another young Indian girl - by her looks Harry realised it must be Padma's identical twin - took her place for the sorting.

"GRYFFINDOR" He wasn't the only one to look surprised as the second Patil girl walked over to sit down next to Hermione and Neville. 

"Family members in a different house?" Sally queried, then she jumped as McGonagall called out her name "Looks like it's my turn. Toodaloo" She turned and walked up to the stool, before putting the hat on her head.

"Miss Perks" The hat said politely "Good afternoon"

"Evening more like" Sally responded "Does this always take this long? I'm starving"

"Don't blame me - I'm not the one who invented this tradition"

"Then who was it?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"I am kind of curious about it" She admitted "Harry and Hermione were discussing it, but neither of could tell me the answer"

"That doesn't surprise me" The hat paused "RAVENCLAW" 

"Ravenclaw invented the sorting?" Sally queried.

"I meant you are going into RAVENCLAW" It yelled the house out again. For a moment, Sally contemplated trying to get an actual answer out of the hat, then she shrugged, took it off and walked primly to the Ravenclaw table and sat down. McGonagall looked down at the next name, then took a deep breath.

"HARRY POTTER" She called out, and The Hall exploded in a burst of excited chatter as Harry walked slowly towards the stool. He picked up the hat and, taking a fortifying breath, lowered it on to his head.

"Mr Pot..... oh - the other one" Harry tried to stare up, then realised he was giving himself a bit of a headache.

"The other one?" He asked "One of my associates is here?"

"You know I can't tell you that" The hat replied, sounding slightly sheepish "Not unless you want this to be the last sorting ever"

"That would probably be bad, right?" Harry paused "And you really can't tell me who else is here?"

"Sorry" The hat sounded genuinely apologetic "But the rules I was given were inviolable and unbreakable - if I reveal anything I learn from inside the students' heads, I will forfeit all my powers and be unable to sort anyone in the future" 

"And there's no way to change that"

"Only if all four Founders agree to the change" The hat said in a supremely smug tone.

"Oh yeah - that's going to happen" Harry sighed.

"Yeah - like me putting you in Slytherin" The hat said with a laugh. Harry smirked.

"You're not going to, are you?" He asked.

"No" The hat shook its head - or at least that was the impression that Harry got "Because it's time for you to go into GRYFFINDOR" The table on the right exploded into applause as Harry took the hat off and rested it on the stool. 

Walking over, he sat down next to Hermione, who gave him a wide smile then handed him a glass of pumpkin juice. And, as the entire Great Hall seemed to watch, he took a drink, then spat it out all over the table.

"Great Merlin that is the most godawful thing I have ever tasted!" He yelled, then he looked around to find everyone was staring at him.

"What? It does taste awful!" He said.

"That is as maybe, Mr Potter, but we still have a few students to be sorted, so if you wouldn't mind being quiet for a few minutes" McGonagall said. Harry rolled his eyes, then mimed zipping his lips tight shut. 

"Thank you" McGonagall nodded, then looked back at her scroll "ZACHARIAS SMITH"

"What was that?" Harry asked in a quiet voice, looking at Hermione.

"Pumpkin juice" She replied with a smirk "Why? Don't you like it?"

"Ech" He shook his head, pulling a disgusted face "Coke, water - even orange juice. But that? Ech!" 

"So not a fan then?" Hermione laughed as Su Li was sorted into Hufflepuff.

"Tastes like cat pee strained through one of Dudley's sports socks after at twelve mile run" Harry shivered. 

"Do I even want to know how you know what THAT tastes like?" Hermione asked, looking worried.

"Depends - do you like your brain where it is, or do you want it to melt and run out of your nose?" Harry asked in response, grinning slightly at the expression on her face. She stared at him for a moment, then shook her head.

"I love learning new things, but I think I'll pass" She said, then took a drink of pumpkin juice "I kind of like it"

"There's no accounting for taste" Harry scrunched up his nose. 

"RONALD WEASLEY" McGonagall called out. Harry and Hermione looked round to see Ron - one of only two students left to be sorted - stride up and lower the hat towards his head. Harry watched intently, and again was convinced that the hat had called out GRYFFINDOR before it had touched Ron's head.

He glanced sideways to see Hermione staring at the space Ron had occupied - the red-headed boy was now walking over to the table and looking like he was heading towards the seat next to Harry - with her eyes narrowed and her eyes thoughtful.

"Hermione?" He said softly. She looked at him, then shook her head.

"I'm just being silly" She replied, then he saw her mouth curl into a smirk for an instant before resuming its former shape. At the same time, he felt Ron sit down next to him.

"Told you I wouldn't be in Slytherin" Ron proclaimed proudly.

"Yes, you're very wise" Harry said in a deadpan voice.

"SLYTHERIN" The hat yelled, and they watched as the last student - a young black boy with green eyes - walked over to the table on the far side of The Hall. McGonagall rolled up the scroll, then picked up the hat and stool and carried it out in to a room at the back of The Hall. She returned a few moments later, and sat down behind the long table with the rest of the staff.

"Thank you, Professor" Dumbledore had risen to his feet, and was letting his gaze wander over the four House tables "To our new students - welcome. You are about to embark upon an exciting adventure that will last you the next seven years. To our returning students - welcome back. As always, I have a few start of term announcements, however as I suspect that you are all as hungry as I am, I will simply say - let the feast begin" He waved his hands, and suddenly the tables were full of food "Tuck in, and enjoy"

xoxox

Nearly an hour later, Harry pushed back his nearly empty bowl of apple crumble and custard, then realised The Hall was falling silent and everyone was turning to face the top table again. He looked round, and realised Dumbledore was on his feet again.

"Well - I hope everyone is sated, and that you all enjoyed your food" There was a murmur of agreement from most of the students "I have just a few announcements, and then I will let you all get off to bed - I realise you've had a long day so I will not hold you up" He paused "First, I'd like you to all welcome Professor Quirrell - our new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher" Harry looked over to where a middle aged wizard in a turban had half-risen from his seat, and felt a sudden twinge in his forehead. Wincing, he reached up and touched the area that was stinging.

"Your scar?" Hermione asked quietly. Harry glanced at her, and gave a quick nod "Can I do anything?"

"No" He shook his head softly "It just twinged for a moment when I looked at Quirrell" He paused, then shrugged "Must just be tired" Hermione watched him for a moment, then nodded slowly.

"Third years and above can visit Hogsmeade on the last weekend of every month" Dumbledore continued "Following some representations from parents last year, we will require a newly signed permission slip from every students wanting to leave the school to visit the village. Your Head of House will have blank slips for anyone who needs to send one home, and the school owls are - of course - at your disposal should you require one" 

"Why can't we go?" Hermione asked quietly. 

"The school board set the age for unaccompanied visits at a minimum of thirteen" An older red-headed boy explained from her right "And to make it easier to administrate, as well as to prevent arguments and disgruntlement, Professor Dumbledore and Professor Dippett - the previous Headmaster - decided to start the visits with the start of the third year in school"

"Because otherwise I would be able to go from the last weekend next September" Hermione nodded "While Harry wouldn't go until the end of July - well after school ended"

"Your birthday's in September?" Harry asked.

"The 19th" Hermione nodded.

"I will try to remember" He said with a smile, making her blush slightly.

"And finally I would like to announce that the corridor on the third floor on the right hand side of the school - the one that doesn't contain the Charms and Arithmancy classrooms - is out of bounds to anyone who doesn't wish to suffer a horrible and painful death" The fact that he said it in a perfectly calm and reasonable voice made Dumbledore's final announcement sound even more creepy and disturbing.

"And with that, I wish you all a good night" He gave a polite nod, then sat down. Harry looked round, then turned to look up at the red-headed boy who had explained the Hogsmeade trips a moment before.

"First years - follow me. My name is Percy Weasley, and I am one of the six prefects for Gryffindor House. If you would come with me, I will show you how to get there" He walked down to the bottom of the table, then stood there with his arms behind his back "Come along, I don't have all night" 

"Should we go?" Harry asked, then realised Hermione was already stood up and looking down at him expectantly "I'll take that as a yes then"

xoxox

Dumbledore leaned back in the over-stuffed chair and looked around the staff room.

"Before I go through the announcements for the coming year, does anyone have any questions or information about the events of this evening?" He asked.

"I, for one, would like to know what happened during the sorting" McGonagall said, glancing up at the sorting hat, resting on a shelf in the corner of the room.

"To what are you referring, Minerva?" Dumbledore asked "Because you should be aware that the hat has limits as to what information it can provide"

"The hat stopped singing - it has never not finished its song before, not since my first year" She continued to gaze at the hat "I was just wondering what caused the interruption"

"I just got a surprise" The hat said from its position on the shelf "I knew that The Boy Who Lived was returning this year, but seeing him was a bit of a surprise" McGonagall narrowed her eyes.

"Is that the whole truth?" She asked.

"It is as much of the truth as I am permitted by The Founders to tell you" The hat replied. 

"Then we shall call that settled" Dumbledore said amicably "So - is there anything else, or......."

"One of the new Gryffindors - Miss Granger - asked a question about common rooms" McGonagall said suddenly. Dumbledore raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"What kind of question?"

"As to whether or not there are mixed common rooms" McGonagall continued "So that members of one House could mix with the others"

"Why on earth would we have those?" Snape asked with a sneer.

"That was pretty much what I said" McGonagall replied.

"Severus and Minerva in agreement?" Flitwick quipped "What is the world coming to?" Both teachers turned to glare at him, but he simply smirked back at them.

"Did she explain why she was asking, Minerva?" Dumbledore interjected in an attempt to forestall a fight.

"Yes" McGonagall nodded "She asked if there were any members of my family I didn't get on with, then went on to say that she loved her parents and her brother, but sometimes she wanted them to disappear off the face of the earth and that if she disliked any of her new house-mates then being forced to spend the next seven years with them would drive her up the wall" She realised Dumbledore was staring at her, mouth open in shock "Albus?"

"Can you remember what she said? Word for word?" He asked, leaning forward with an intense look on his face.

"Not exactly word for word....." She paused, then glanced over to the stone bowl in the corner "If it's important?"

"Go ahead" Dumbledore gestured. McGonagall walked over, extracted a glowing silver memory strain and put it into the pensieve. She then tapped her wand against the side of the bowl and a projection appeared over it. The staff watched it in silence, until the projection ended and McGonagall sat down again. Dumbledore leaned back in his seat again, looking thoughtful.

"Albus? Why are you so curious about this?" Flitwick asked.

"Because about fifty, sixty years ago I had another first year student ask me exactly the same question" Dumbledore replied, eyes lost in the past "Another girl - she was sorted in to Ravenclaw - and she asked me the same thing" He paused "Literally the same thing - word for word" There were a few minutes of silence in the staff room.

"Do you think there's a connection?" Snape asked hesitantly.

"I cannot see how there could be" Dumbledore shook his head "Miss Granger, if I recall correctly, is a muggle-born witch, and - correct me if I am wrong, Minerva, her family knew nothing of magic when you went to visit her" Minerva nodded her agreement "Perhaps it is just co-incidence. They do happen far more frequently than one would think" 

"Do you think it is something we should consider?" Flitwick asked "I have sometimes thought that our students - especially the first years - could benefit from mixing with the other houses" 

"My Slytherins mix with muggle-born and the like?" Snape sneered "And with the addition of Potter in the mix?" He shook his head "I just don't see it"

"I wasn't speaking for everyone, Severus" Flitwick said quietly "However I do believe we should consider it" Dumbledore gazed at him for a moment.

"I will look into it, Filius" He said "Does anyone have any other comments?" He looked around, but everyone stayed silent "Very well - I just have one more thing to say" He paused, then let out a long slow breath.

"With the arrival of young Harry, I am worried that the children of those Death Eaters who escaped justice might use him as a focussing point for their activities and their...... beliefs" He took another breath "While I am aware that we have a duty to look after all our students equally, I would ask you all to make sure that there are no problems between Harry and his friends and those who...... might want to cause trouble" He saw everyone - apart from Snape - nodding "Severus?"

"I have made it clear how I feel about the boy, Headmaster - I am not going to go out of my way to coddle him or stroke his ego" Snape said simply and calmly. Dumbledore gazed back at him, then sighed.

"Very well" He gave Snape a final disappointed look, then glanced down at the parchment resting on his lap "The provisional Hogsmeade dates........."


	4. Settling In

The next morning, Hermione woke up early and spent half an hour staring up at the roof of her canapé bed before deciding she wasn't going to get back to sleep. 

Quarter of an hour later, she emerged from the shower and walked back to her bed. She glanced around - making sure the others were all still asleep, then waved her hand. A moment later, her clothes flew out of the trunk and laid themselves out on the bed. Looking around again, she slipped off her dressing gown, and started getting dressed. 

When she had pulled her jumper over her head, she glanced at the large robe that remained on the bed.

"Nah - too warm today" She shook her head, then she picked up her book bag, before realising that - until McGonagall gave her her timetable at breakfast, she had no clue what her classes would be for that day and so no idea what books she'd need.

"I could pack them all, but that does seem a little over the top" She said to herself, then she dropped the bag back on the bed and glanced at her watch.

"I suppose I could go out exploring, but they may have done some work over the last few years" She turned round and sat on the bed "And I'm not going back to bed again - I'd never fall asleep anyway" She sighed "The trials of being young"

xoxox

Harry, dressed in his uniform, strolled down the stairs from the first year boys' dorm and into the common room, where he came to a halt.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Hermione asked from the armchair in front of the fireplace.

"I'm here" He said "I'm actually here" He walked over and sat down opposite her "I mean - my aunt told me all sorts of stories about my mother's life in the magical world, but she couldn't actually tell me anything about the school or the magical world itself" 

"She never visited?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Another nasty little secret that I bet McGonagall didn't tell you" Harry said with a cynical laugh.

"Oh yes?"

"From what my aunty said, the magical world has one, golden rule that is unbreakable under anything but truly exceptional circumstances" Harry said leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees "The implication of the law is somewhat complex, but the rule is simple - the secret must be kept" 

"The secret?"

"Of the magical world's existence" Harry explained "The magical world is so paranoid and worried about the non-magical world finding out, that it will do almost anything to keep its secret" He paused "There is a spell - I can't remember what it's called - but it can remove memories. So if a non-magical person learns about the magical world, a witch or wizard can remove that memory"

"But my parents......." Hermione started.

"They are allowed to know because you are in Hogwarts" Harry pointed out "You are going to be away from home for months at a time, so if your parents didn't know you were here, they would wonder where you are"

"And probably call the police" She nodded "Which would just spread the information further and further" She paused "The same for your family?"

"My mother's parents and her sister were both let into the secret because my mother was away at Hogwarts" He smiled "And now that I am here, Uncle Vernon and my cousin are allowed to know as well - otherwise Aunt Petunia would have to lie to them every day, which wouldn't end well"

"She's not a good liar?" 

"Not the best, no" Harry laughed "She barely tries any more - she just makes her stories more and more inventive and erotic....." He stopped as Hermione burst out laughing "That's not the word I want, is it?"

"I would guess not, no" She shook her head "How about exotic?" 

"That does sound better" Harry grinned "Anyway - families of magical children are allowed to know about the secret, providing they don't tell anyone else about it. If they do then the people they tell have their memories stripped and......" He trailed off, biting his lip.

"And?" Hermione prompted.

"And punishments are applied to the people involved" Harry said "My Aunt had no clue what the punishments are, she just said that mother mentioned them once - apparently she was too scared to talk about them any more" Hermione shivered.

"Wonderful world, this magical place" She said quietly.

"It could be worse" Harry leaned back "Other countries adhere to the magic rule a lot more strictly. America either strips the magic of the child, or makes the parents think their child has died and makes the kid think their parents are dead" 

"Eeeeeesh" Hermione exclaimed quietly.

"Australia and Japan both work in a similar way" Harry added "And there are countries - like Israel and some in The Middle East - that are far worse" He paused "Despite the racism and bigotry, the UK is actually not that bad a place to be a first born" He realised Hermione was staring at him, looking slightly amused "Yeah - that sounded better in my head"

"Really?"

"No, not really" Harry paused "Anyway - another part of protecting the secret is that almost every location in the magical world has spells around them that prevent non-magical people from seeing them or entering them" He waved his hand around "Which is why my Aunt never got to come here. So why are you up so early?" Hermione blinked in surprise at the change of subject.

"Mostly the same - except without the stories, obviously" She smiled "Ever since McGonagall came to see me, I've just been waiting for this day" She paused "I've been reading all about the spells - having to wait to try them out has been driving me crazy!"

"I can imagine" Harry smiled back at her, then glanced at his watch "When does breakfast start?"

xoxox

"Your timetable, Mr Potter, Miss Granger, Mr Weasley" McGonagall handed out three rolls of parchment "As it is your first day, the first lessons are shorter so......"

"So we have time to go back and get our books" Hermione said, interrupting her "I was wondering about that"

"Lunch for the first years is at one pm" McGonagall continued, apparently not perturbed Hermione's interjection "And the evening meal is served at five thirty pm. After that you are to return to your common rooms" 

"I don't see flying lessons, Professor" Harry said, looking up "Someone on the train said we could learn to fly?"

"Flying lessons start in three weeks" McGonagall explained "We want to give you time to settle in to the wizarding world - not to bombard you with too much stuff at once"

"Oh - okay" Harry smiled "Makes sense I suppose"

"Why thank you for your approval, Mr Potter" McGonagall gave him a sarcastic smile.

"Professor?" Hermione asked "Did you manage to talk to Headmaster Dippet about the common room idea?"

"The Headmaster's name is Professor Dumbledore" McGonagall said in a kindly tone "And no - I haven't had a chance yet. The start of term is a very busy time for him. But I will bring it up at the first reasonable opportunity"

"Thank you" Hermione smiled, blushing slightly, then stood up as McGonagall moved further down the table.

"Dippet?" Harry asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"He was the previous Headmaster" Hermione said quickly "I just got them mixed up - I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, and as you know I woke up super early this morning" 

"Okay" Harry stood up as well "So back to the tower to get our......" He glanced at the timetable "Charms and Defence books?"

xoxox

"It wasn't that funny" Harry pouted as he, Hermione and Ron walked along the corridor towards the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom.

"He fell off his stool" Hermione pointed out still smirking "Face it, Harry - you are a superstar"

"Wonderful" Harry rolled his eyes "Just what I always wanted to be" He paused, then looked at her "So - what do you think of your first spell?"

"The light spell?" Hermione smiled "I suppose it will save on batteries for my torch the next time I go camping" 

"Batteries - my dad keeps talking about those" Ron said "He's obsessed with the muggle world" He paused "What are batteries?"

"Portable electricity storage units" Harry replied "And before you ask us to explain electricity, it's a long story" Ron looked at him for a moment, then nodded.

"And a torch?"

"Portable light source for people who don't have wands" Hermione supplied "Like my parents, and Harry's family" 

"Muggles" Ron nodded.

"I prefer the term non-magical" Harry said quickly "Muggles sounds a tad too.... insulting for my liking"

"But they're just muggles" Ron looked genuinely confused "And they'll never know what we call them" Hermione glared at him for a few seconds, before smiling.

"So it's okay to call people names if they don't hear it?" She asked, but before Ron could reply, she continued "So if I were to go into....." She looked around "....that cupboard over there, and call your mother a muggle-loving blood traitor who sleeps with Death Eaters behind your father's back, you wouldn't mind because she wouldn't hear it?" 

"Don't you talk about my mother like that" Ron snarled.

"So insulting your mother is off limits, but insulting mine is fine?" Without waiting for an answer, Hermione turned and strode off down the corridor, then turned and disappeared into the Defence classroom.

"What's got into her?" Ron asked, looking at Harry "And why would she say that about my mother?" Harry stared back at him.

"You insulted her mother and father, Ron - don't you think you should apologise to them?"

"How did I insult them?" 

"Did you like your mother being called a muggle-lover?" Harry asked.

"No!" Ron snapped.

"How about blood-traitor?" Harry pushed.

"NO!" Ron yelled louder.

"Are either of those untrue?" Harry asked, keeping his voice quiet "Does your mother hate non-magical people? Does her view on life oppose the general pure-blood outlook on life?" When Ron didn't reply, Harry gave him a soft smile.

"Hermione and I don't like the word 'muggle' - we find it insulting and rude. And while it is true that my family and Hermione's parents are not magical, we would prefer they be referred to as non-magical, rather than that insulting term" He looked at Ron for a few more moments, then turned and walked down to the classroom, leaving Ron starting after him.

xoxox

"Professor Flitwick, may I have a word?" Dumbledore strolled into the charms classroom.

"Of course, Headmaster" Flitwick nodded "How may I be of assistance?"

"Without wishing to have you give away any confidences, I was wondering if you could tell me how Mr Potter performed?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

"Mr Potter? He did alright" Flitwick replied "I was teaching them the Lumos and Nox charms - he appeared to pick them up relatively easily" 

"How easily?" 

"Miss Granger was the first to cast a Lumos charm, and Mr Potter was a close second" Flitwick paused, then smiled "But given who his parents were, it doesn't surprise me that he has an aptitude for charms" Dumbledore gave a nod of acknowledgement. 

"Thank you, Filius" He said, then turned and started to leave before pausing and looking round "Two muggle-borns were the first to manage the spell?"

"Yes" Flitwick nodded "But if you remember Lily Evans......"

"Quite" Dumbledore nodded "Thank you again"

xoxox

"Was it just me, or was that......" Harry paused, trying to find the right word.

"A complete and total waste of time?" Hermione suggested.

"For example" Harry nodded "I know I am new to the world, but Quirrell seems like he is scared of his own shadow"

"Yet the magical history book I bought from Flourish and Blotts suggests Professor Quirrell is one of the world's most renowned experts on dark magic and The Dark Arts" Hermione said, turning the corner and heading down the stairs.

"If he is the best of the best, I'd hate to see the worst of the worst" Harry smirked as they reached the bottom of the steps. 

"Maybe he just has trouble talking to large groups of people" He suggested "Any history of teaching in his...... history?"

"Nope - all research and practical activity" Hermione stopped for a moment, closing her eyes "He was in the Dark Force Defence League, won numerous awards from all over the globe for his destruction of dark creatures" She opened her eyes again and started walking "This is his first time in a classroom" 

"So you think he's nervous?" Harry asked sceptically.

"I guess" Hermione shrugged "But..... it just seems odd" They arrived at the doors to The Great Hall "So - what do you think we'll get for lunch?"

xoxox

Twenty minutes later, they both looked round as Ron sat down in the seat next to Hermione.

"Ever since I was old enough to understand what my parents and older brothers were saying, I have heard non-magical people referred to as muggles. It was never used as an insult - my family never used it to suggest they thought non-magical people were inferior or anything else. It was just the word that they used - the word they learned from their parents, and grand parents" 

"You've got to be carefully taught" Hermione said in a quiet voice. Harry looked at her thoughtfully, but then they turned when Ron spoke again.

"If someone told you that..... that they found the word British offensive, and wanted to you to use the word English, would you be able to?" Ron asked. 

"I suppose it would take a while" Hermione admitted "Like if you told me that you didn't like the word fork and wanted me to use the word dinglehopper instead - it would take a while for me to get used to it"

"So I can try to stop using it - to refer to your parents and your family as non-magical - but......" 

"But you may slip from time to time?" Harry asked.

"And everyone else in the wizarding world isn't going to stop" Ron finished "I didn't realise it was insulting and I didn't mean for it to be" 

"As long as you try, that's all we ask" Hermione smiled at him, then passed him a plate of potatoes "You've only got ten minutes left before transfiguration" 

"I can eat fast" Ron smiled back. 

xoxox

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death—if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach" Snape stared across the dungeon classroom, then realised one of the students had their hand up "Miss Granger - you have a question?"

"I was just wondering if you could repeat that, sir? I didn't catch some of it" Hermione said as innocently as she could. 

"Then ask one of your classmates to fill you in" He replied with a sneer, then he turned to the board and - waving his wand - he made a series of instructions appear on it "You have ninety minutes to brew this to an acceptable standard. Begin"

xoxox

"So you noticed nothing out of the ordinary with Mr Potter?" Dumbledore asked his deputy.

"Nothing that I would consider noteworthy, Albus" McGonagall shook her head "May I ask your interest in this? I realise that Mr Potter has been out of our world for a few years, and that he does have a special place in our world, but......"

"As you say - he has a special place in our world, Minerva" Dumbledore replied "There are members of The Wizengamot and The Ministry who are expressing an interest in him, now that he has returned" He paused "I just want to ensure that no one in the government finds a reason to decide to move from a passive interest into a more active one" 

"You think that might be a possibility?" McGonagall raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"Cornelius' close friendship with Mr Malfoy and other more dubious members of our society does mean that the idea of Ministerial interference in Mr Potter's life is less than desirable" Dumbledore said with a slight sigh "And the suggestion that because he was raised by muggles means he is under achieving now that he has returned to our world would see the potential for such interference"

"Well I can put your mind at rest, Albus" McGonagall smiled "Aside from Miss Granger, Mr Potter was the first to transform his matchstick into a pin and back again"

"Thank you" Dumbledore nodded. 

xoxox

"Passable" Snape stared down at the contents of Hermione's cauldron "Although it is a little runny"

"Thank you, sir" Hermione gave a polite nod. Snape stared at her for a moment longer, then looked over at Harry's.

"Well, well - it looks like our.... celebrity has a little talent as well" He gave a slight sneer "Not as much talent as his muggle-born friend, or his mother, but enough so as not to completely embarrass himself" There were a few laughs from the other side of the classroom, but Harry didn't look away from Snape.

"Perhaps you could give me some pointers, sir, so I might learn for next time"

"I am not here to fix your mistakes, Potter - if you want to learn where you went wrong, I suggest you go to the library or ask one of your classmates" Snape turned, cloak billowing behind him as he stalked back to the front "You have all proved more or less adequate. I want a two foot essay on where you think you went wrong for the next class" He paused "Longbottom - you can extend yours to three foot given your abject failure" More laughs came from Harry's right as Neville blushed a bright red "That's all. Get out" 

"Well that was....... interesting" Harry said as he, Hermione and Ron walked back along the dungeon corridor.

"From the stories my brothers told me, I expected him to be more of a git" Ron admitted "Fred and George said he usually picks on Gryffindors more than anyone, and takes points for things like breathing too loud and writing with the wrong coloured ink" 

"He was a friend of my mothers when she was little" Harry said quietly as they started up the stairs "Aunt Petunia told me they used to hang out - before my mother got her letter"

"Snape knew your mother?" Ron asked in surprise.

"Apparently" Harry shrugged "I can't see why Aunty P would lie"

"Wow. Small world" Ron looked over at Hermione "Where did you learn to make potions so well?"

"My mother" Hermione smiled "Part of her job at their dental surgery is mixing up batches of medicines and........ well - she calls it 'goop' that they use to make moulds and fix people's teeth" She paused "She's been teaching me that since I was eight or nine, and making potions isn't all that different" She laughed "Apart from the ingredients of course - not a lot of eye of newt in your average dental filling" Harry giggled, then - at Ron's mystified expression - burst out laughing.

xoxox

"He has some talent, but nothing compared to his mother" Snape said "Personally I suspect that having James Potter for a father obliterated whatever influence his mother's input may have had" 

xoxox

The weeks passed quickly, and before they realised it, Harry and Hermione found themselves walking out with the rest of the first year Gryffindors and Slytherins to their first flying lesson.

"Everyone line up" Madame Hooch stood at the head of the two lines of brooms they had arrived by "Each of you pick a broom and stand next to it" Harry and Hermione stood next to each other, with Ron on her right.

"Okay - I want you to start by summoning your broom to your hand. Do this by saying 'UP'" Hooch continued.

"UP!" While eighteen voices shouted in unison, the results differed wildly. Harry and Hermione both caught their brooms, as did Draco and Pansy, while Neville's moved a bit before dropping back down to the ground again and Ron's shot up, smacked him on the nose then dropped back to the grass.

"You need to have confidence!" Hooch's voice echoed off the castle walls "Show the broom who's boss!"

"UP" This time all the brooms jumped up into the remaining hands.

"Well done" Hooch smiled "Now - fling your left leg over the broom, and sit down on it. You may have to move around a little to find your comfortable spot" She paused "But there will be no riding side-saddle here - I don't care if you have been taught it is lady-like and cultured" Harry glanced at Hermione, and nodded encouragingly, then he mounted his broom. A moment later, Hermione mounted hers.

"Right - once you are all ready........" Hooch looked at the eighteen students "I want you to - very slowly - lift your feet off the ground. Do not try to fly - just hover" Harry lifted his feet up, and smiled as he managed to hover in the air.

"I don't like this" He looked sideways to see Hermione wobbling on her broom. Slowly lowering his legs, he reached out to grab her, but then pulled his hand back when he saw she had stabilised herself.

"Mr Longbottom - I asked you not to try to fly" Hooch rolled her eyes, then strode down the gap between the two rows of brooms, heading towards Neville. Unfortunately, before she could reach him, he started to slip to the right, then over-compensated and shot off to the left. 

"Oh dear" Hooch said with a sigh, then held her hand out. A moment later, her own broom shot through the air and slapped into it. Before anyone had realised she had done it, Hooch had mounted the broom and was flying after Neville.

"Hold on, Mr Longbottom" She called out, then flew underneath him as he started to slip. She reached up and caught him, then slowly lowered him to the ground.

"Well that was exciting, wasn't it?" She asked in a calm voice "Would you like to try again, Mr Longbottom, or have you had enough excitement for today?" Neville - who now had both feet firmly planted on the ground - looked up at her.

"I think I'd like to try again, Professor" He said after a moment.

"I'm not a professor, I am just a teacher" She replied in a kindly tone "Now - rejoin your classmates, and see if you can hover again"

"Yes, Madame Hooch" He nodded.

"Good boy" She gave him a bright grin, then walked back along to her original position before turning to face the rest of the students. Once Neville had started hovering again, she took a deep breath. 

"Okay - now for the next step......"

xoxox

"Tell me I never have to do that again" Hermione said as she strode back into the school.

"I think there are two more lessons......" Harry started.

"Oh god" Hermione stuck her hand out and steadied herself against the wall "Do you think I can get a note from my parents?"

"It's not that bad" Ron said from beside her "Maybe you'll get used to it"

"Or maybe I'll throw up all over you next time" Hermione glared at him from under her eyebrows. Ron paled slightly, then shrugged.

"Percy didn't like flying that much. I think if you talk to McGonagall, she can excuse you" He said - Harry thought he was trying to sound supportive, but he also thought he could detect a slight sneer in Ron's tone.

"Thank you, Ronald" Hermione replied - and her tone made him realise he hadn't imagined the sneer.

"Lets get you inside and get a drink to steady your nerves" Harry said. Hermione smiled at him.

"Sounds like something I can get on board with" She said, then together the three of them walked down the corridor. A moment later, Dumbledore emerged from the shadows, glanced after them then turned and walked out of the castle, heading down towards where Madame Hooch was tidying up the brooms.


	5. Halloween 91 - Trolls of various kinds

"I can' t believe you don't want to try out for Quidditch!" Ron was ranting - again - as he, Hermione and Harry walked down the corridor towards Gryffindor Tower "You are brilliant on a broom, and you'd be sure to get a place - we need a new seeker, and you are just the right size for that!"

"Ron - I am new to the magical world. I am barely keeping up with all my classes...." He paused as Hermione snorted in amusement ".....so I don't need something else to distract me" 

"But..... you could be famous!" Ron insisted "I'm going to try out - I thought we could do it together"

"I'm The Boy Who Lived" Harry pointed out.

"tm" Hermione added, making him smile.

"I promise I'll come to try-outs with you to support you" Harry said consolingly "Hermione will too - won't you Hermione?" The looks he received from his two friends made him rethink the question "Well - I'll come, anyway" 

"Okay" Ron pouted for a few moments, then looked up as they reached the portrait "Findlebinders" 

"Thank you" The Fat Lady gave a polite nod, and the portrait swung open. Ron stepped inside, and Harry followed him. Hermione waited out side a moment and looked up at the portrait. Raising her hand, she made a small gesture in front of her.

"Why aren't you called by your real name any more?" She asked quietly. The Fat Lady looked down at her.

"No one alive remembers it, and it seems more trouble than it's worth, given how often someone addresses me directly" She replied thoughtfully.

"True enough, I suppose" Hermione shrugged "Still - if you ever want to change that, you have a friend in me, Emmaline" Before the portrait could answer, Hermione went inside.

xoxox

A week later, Ron tried out for the Gryffindor team, but five minutes into his first attempt to catch the snitch he flew into one of the goalposts and knocked himself out. Fred and George carried him to the infirmary, while Harry and Hermione ran along behind them, trying not to let their amusement show. 

"Sorry, Ron" Hermione said after Madame Pomfrey had revived him "I thought you were doing well, if that helps"

"Yes, that helps a lot" Ron replied, pouring as much sarcasm as he could into his words "And you're probably happy I screwed up - means less chance of your precious boyfriend joining the team and leaving you behind" 

"BOYFRIEND?" Harry and Hermione exclaimed in unison. Ron looked between them, then he took on a slightly contrite expression.

"Sorry - I've still got a bugger of a headache" He apologised "And I didn't mean to snap, Hermione - I'm just feeling foolish and embarrassed and did I mention the headache?" Hermione gave a soft laugh.

"You're forgiven, Ron" She glanced at Harry "And you can't be thinking straight if you think I can't do better than scrawny over here for a boyfriend" Harry pretended to look outraged, but the smile kind of ruined the affect a little. 

"And on that note, we should probably go" Hermione stood up, with Harry following suit a moment later "Get some sleep Ron, and we'll come back after tea to see how you're doing"

"Okay" Ron nodded, then closed his eyes. Hermione reached out and pulled the blanket up a bit, before turning to Harry.

"Ready?" She asked.

"Are you sure you want to be seen with a scrawny git like me?" Harry asked in response. 

"Do you even have to ask?" She grinned, then they both turned and walked out of the infirmary together. 

xoxox

Two weeks later, Hermione found Harry leaning against a tree in the middle of the grounds. 

"You do realise what that tree is, right?" She asked, standing a little way away from him.

"It won't hurt me" Harry smiled "I made a deal with it" Hermione stared him a little sceptically. 

"You made a deal........with a tree?"

"It - she - will let me rest underneath her from time to time, as long as I will play catch with her every so often" Harry reached out and ran his hand down the nearest root.

"The Whomping Willow is a she?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"All trees are female" Harry replied in a tone that suggested it should be obvious. Hermione rolled her eyes, then took a step forward.

"Wait" Harry held up his hand "Do you mind if she joins me?" Hermione stared at him, wondering what he was talking about, then watched in surprise as The Willow ran a leaf-tipped branch down the side of his face "She says yes - you can join me" 

"Thank you" Hermione gave a slight curtsey, then slowly walked over until she was stood next to him, then sat down, leaning back against the tree.

"So why are you out here, leaning against what is arguably the most dangerous tree in the world?" She asked after a moment.

"Fourth most dangerous" Harry replied. 

"Sorry?"

"The Whomping Willow is the fourth most dangerous tree in the world" Harry explained.

"Really?"

"Really" He nodded. She looked out across the grounds for a few moments, then shrugged.

"So why are you out here, leaning against what is arguably the fourth most dangerous tree in the world?" She asked.

"Because it's the thirtieth of October, and I don't want to be inside" He replied. She turned her head and looked at him questioningly, but he didn't meet her gaze.

"Tomorrow night Hogwarts, and the rest of the magical world, is going to throw itself a party because ten years ago Voldemort was vanquished" He continued in a calm, quiet voice. 

Ten years ago tomorrow - on what was supposed to be the biggest festival day of the year - my parents were betrayed by their best friend. He gave away their location, and Voldemort came to our house. He broke through the wards as if they were butter, then broke through the front door as if it wasn't there......"

"Harry....." She reached out to touch him, but he ignored her.

"He killed my father before James realised what was going on. And then he slowly, relentlessly followed my mother upstairs - he didn't rush, he didn't chase after her in a panic - he knew exactly how the night was going to end and he intended to savour it" Harry closed his eyes, his voice dropping to a whisper "She stood in front of my crib. He offered to let her live if she would stand aside. She didn't move. She stayed as still as a statue until he killed her" This time Hermione stayed silent, knowing he wasn't finished.

"And then turned to look at me - eyes glowing red with passion, with ecstasy over the death of my father and my mother, and over the knowledge that I would be next and the world would be his" Harry opened his eyes and turned to look at her.

"And tomorrow night, Hogwarts will hold a party to celebrate the that"

xoxox

"Professor McGonagall - may I ask you something?" Hermione had stayed behind after transfiguration class and was stood in front of the teacher's desk. 

"Of course, Miss Granger, although - from what I remember - you have Charms next and that is on the other side of the school. You don't want to be late" McGonagall looked down at her over her glasses "What do you want?"

"I was wondering if Harry and I might be excused from the feast tonight" Hermione said.

"Why on earth would you want to do that?" McGonagall stared down at her, a disbelieving expression on her face.

"Have considered what Halloween means to Harry, Professor? What happened to him - to his family - ten years ago tonight?" 

"He killed You Know Who, and saved the world" McGonagall replied, still frowning slightly "He became The Boy Who Lived and made sure everyone could live free" Hermione stared back at her, then sighed.

"Professor - are your parents alive?" She asked after a moment.

"I am not sure how that is any of your business, Miss Granger" McGonagall said coldly "Now - run along before you are late to Charms" Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but then closed it again. She shook her head, then turned and stalked out of the classroom.

xoxox

"Miss Granger - you are late" Flitwick said calmly as Hermione entered his classroom.

"My apologies, Professor - I was talking to Professor McGonagall about something and I guess I found it so interesting that I lost track of time" Hermione replied contritely. Flitwick gazed at her for a few moments, then nodded.

"Very well - I won't deduct any points this time. Please find a seat, and I will continue with the lesson"

"Yes, sir" She gave a brief nod, then looked around before realising there was only one seat available - next to Ron. Casting a quick, despairing glance at Harry, she walked over and sat down next to the red-head.

"Now that Miss Granger has arrived, we can start" Flitwick said, making Hermione blush "The levitation charm is very easy to learn, and while it does require some level of control and concentration, it is amongst the easier charms" He paused "Which is why we can teach it to you in the first year"

xoxox

"Miss Granger asked to be excused?" Dumbledore looked at McGonagall in polite confusion.

"For her and Mr Potter" McGonagall nodded.

"Did she say why she was making this request?" 

"No, not exactly" McGonagall shook her head, then paused "She did ask if my parents were alive - I didn't see the relevance when she asked me, however......"

"However given what happened to Mr Potter's parents ten years ago today, I can understand why she believes Mr Potter might see a celebration of the events as.... well - shall we say inappropriate?" Dumbledore nodded sagely "Have you spoken to Mr Potter about this?"

"No - he is in Charms now, along with Miss Granger" 

"So it might just be Miss Granger acting pre-emptively?" Dumbledore looked up at her "She might not have spoken to Harry herself?"

"It is possible, Albus, yes"

"Then may I suggest that we wait to see if either she or he brings it up again before taking any further action" 

"Yes, Headmaster"

xoxox

"Wingardium Leviosa" Harry flicked his wand at the feather on his desk, and gave a soft smile as it floated upwards. He gave his wand a twist, and the feather rotated in mid-air. 

"Well done, Mr Potter" Flitwick smiled.

"Thank you, sir" Harry tilted his head, then lowered the feather back down to the desk. 

"Do you think you can try two at once?" The teacher asked.

"Maybe, sir" Harry raised his wand again, then a big bang drew everyone's attention as Seamus' feather exploded.

"Very impressive, Mr Finnigan" Flitwick said dryly.

"Thank you, sir" Seamus said without a hint of shame.

"Come to the front and get another feather. I am sure I have some special, non-exploding ones somewhere"

"Yes, sir" Seamus stood up and walked off to the front, while Flitwick turned back to Harry.

"Now, Mr Potter, I believe....."

"For Merlin's sake - do you have to be so bossy all the time?" Harry and Flitwick turned to see Ron berating Hermione "Can't you just keep your mouth shut for two minutes?"

"Is there a problem, Mr Weasley?" Flitwick asked calmly. Ron looked up and realised everyone in the room was now starting at him. He glared at Hermione for a moment, then looked back at the teacher.

"It's nothing sir" He said.

"Miss Granger?" Flitwick looked at her calmly. Hermione blushed, then shook her head.

"As Ron said, it's nothing, sir" She replied, still blushing. Flitwick stared at them for a moment longer, then turned back to Harry. 

"Now, Mr Potter - where were we?" 

xoxox

Harry left the classroom, then leant against the wall on the other side of the corridor, waiting for Hermione to come out of the classroom.

She emerged a few minutes later, looking slightly depressed. 

"Something wrong?" He asked. She looked up at him, then smiled.

"No" She shook her head "Just talking to Professor Flitwick about something from the last lesson" 

"Okay" He nodded "So - what's next?"

"Free period, then I guess the feast" She replied quietly.

"I can't believe you have to put up with her" Harry turned to see Seamus, Dean and Ron stood at the corner of the corridor "I don't know how Harry puts up with her" Ron looked down the corridor, but avoided catching Harry's eye. Then he looked at Dean, and smiled.

"I know - she's a nightmare! A total nightmare!" He paused "No wonder she doesn't have any real friends - I'm sure Harry's only putting up with her because she helps him with his homework" Harry stared at him for a moment, then looked round, just in time to see Hermione running off down the corridor in the other direction. He took one step after her, then stopped. Turning, he walked along the corridor to where Ron was stood, waiting on his own.

"Why?" He asked quietly. Ron looked down at the floor, not meeting his gaze.

"She made me feel an idiot during class" Ron replied, still not looking up "You saw how everyone looked at me" 

"And that was a reason to be mean to her?" Harry asked in the same calm voice.

"I just wanted her to know how it felt" Ron said, this time looking up at Harry "To know what it feels like to be laughed at and mocked" Harry stared at him for a moment longer, then turned and walked away.

xoxox

"She doesn't want to talk to you" Harry blinked in surprise at the ghostly figure floating around in front of him "Are you deaf? Go away!"

"Who are you and how do you know she doesn't want to talk to me?" He asked after a moment's stunned silence.

"My name is Myrtle Brady, and she told me she doesn't want to talk to anyone" The ghostly girl replied "And since you are in that group - GO AWAY!"

"She didn't mean me" Harry said in a calming voice "I'm her friend - her best friend - and I just want to check she's okay"

"She's been embarrassed, humiliated and shamed in front of her House" Myrtle snapped "How do you think she's doing?" The ghost paused, then suddenly shot forward until she was less than half an inch away from his face "NOW GO AWAY" She screamed. Harry stared back at her calmly, then smiled.

"You just had to ask" He said, then turned and walked off down the corridor. Myrtle floated back through the door into the toilet and up to the cubicle.

"I did as you asked" She said to the cubicle door "I sent him away"

"Thank you" Hermione's voice came from the other side of the door "I just........ wasn't ready to talk to him. Or anyone"

"Stay here as long as you wish, Miss H" Myrtle bobbed a ghostly bow, then floated away down the length of the toilet to the sinks.

xoxox

Later that evening, Harry walked into The Great Hall and almost at once looked at the Gryffindor table. His face fell as he didn't see the face he was looking for, then he walked over and sat down at the very end. 

"Mr Potter? Don't you want to sit with your friends?" McGonagall asked as she was walking towards the staff table.

"Hermione....... Hermione isn't here, Professor" He replied "And until she is, I would prefer to eat alone" McGonagall gazed at him, then looked up the length of the table to where Ron, Seamus, Dean and Neville were sat. 

"Anything you would like to talk about, Mr Potter?" She asked sympathetically. 

"No, m'am" He shook his head. 

"Well - my door is always open" She said, then continued up The Hall towards the staff table, leaving Harry staring at the door, an anxious expression on his face.

xoxox

".....so enjoy the feast" Dumbledore finished his speech, made a sweeping gesture with his hands and smiled as the tables filled up with food. He swept his robes out behind him and sat down majestically, all the while continuing to smile beneficently at the students. 

"Mr Potter decided to attend, I see" He commented casually as he picked up his spoon to start his soup. 

"So it would appear" McGonagall nodded.

"Although I notice Miss Granger is not in attendance" Dumbledore added.

"It would seem she and Mr Weasley had a falling out earlier today" McGonagall rested her spoon on the side of her bowl "No one has seen her since, although - from what I can tell - she hasn't left the school"

"The wards?" 

"While I don't have the control over them that you do, I can query them for whether students have left the grounds or not" McGonagall nodded.

"Indeed" Dumbledore took a few more mouthfuls of soup "What was Mr Potter's involvement in this?" 

"TROLL!!!" Quirrell's voice bounced off the wall, making everyone in The Great Hall stare at him "TROLL!! IN THE DUNGEON!!" He paused, then smiled "I just thought you should know" He smiled a moment longer, then collapsed on the floor. 

xoxox

Harry looked around, trying not to roll his eyes at the behaviour of his fellow students. 

"Doesn't the magical world ever practice fire-drills?" He asked himself, then he looked up to the staff table as Dumbledore rose to his feet.

"QUIET!" The Headmaster had clearly amplified his voice because it silenced everyone "Thank you. Now prefects - please lead your students back to your common rooms. The staff and I will endeavour to locate the troll before it does too much damage" He rose to his feet "Your Head of House will come and let you know when the troll has been dealt with" Percy Weasley stood up and looked at the rest of the Gryffindors.

"Everyone - follow me" He called out. Harry watched as his fellow Gryffindors stood up, then he followed suit and started to follow them out of The Great Hall. 

Halfway up the main stairs, he suddenly stopped.

"Hermione" He said quietly. He moved to one side, letting the rest of the students flow past him, Then he turned and looked down the stairs.

"What are you doing?" He heard Ron's voice behind him.

"Hermione is in the girl's loo on the second floor" Harry said, without turning round "She doesn't know about the troll - I thought I would go and tell her"

"Percy wants us back in the dorm" Ron insisted "So does Headmaster Dumbledore" 

"They don't know about Hermione" Harry's eyes darkened and he turned to face Ron "And it is your fault she is there - don't you think you should do something about it?"

"My fault?" Ron exclaimed.

"Your fault" Harry nodded "So - are you coming with me, or are you going to stay in your brother's shadow?" Ron glared at him for a moment.

"I'll come with you" He said "But not because I feel bad about what I said - she had it coming for what she did" 

"She was trying to help you, Ronald, and you embarrassed her in front of everyone" Harry walked past him, barely giving Ron a glance "Now - come along before the troll finds her before we do" He sped up, forcing Ron to quicken his pace.

xoxox

"Miss H - there's something I think you should see" Hermione, who had nearly fallen asleep on the toilet, blinked twice, then she stood up and opened the cubicle door. Peering out, she froze.

A large, swamp-green monster was stood in the doorway to the toilet. The smell was...... it was, quite literally, the worst thing she had ever smelled in her life. Even her father's gym socks after he'd finished The London Marathon were no where near as rank as this creature. 

"It's a troll, Miss H" Myrtle said.

"You don't say" Hermione tried not to fill her voice with sarcasm, but she failed "Has Hogwarts changed so much they have trolls wandering around now?"

"I don't think it's meant to be here, Mistress H" Myrtle floated over to her "I think it might have escaped from the Third Floor where the Headmaster was keeping it"

"And why is Dumbledore keeping a troll on the third floor?" Hermione frowned "Is that on the certain death corridor?" 

"Yes, but......" Myrtle paused "But I think maybe we should talk about that later - after this thing is done trying to kill you"

"Maybe you're right" Hermione smiled, then she drew her wand and looked over at the troll "Will a stunning curse work?"

"Probably not from a first year, no" Myrtle shook her head "You are no where near powerful enough to generate one that will take it down" 

"Well.... bugger" Hermione sighed, then she ran down the length of the toilet as the troll swung its massive club at her "This is not good"

xoxox

Harry paused as the smashing noises coming from inside the toilet, but then he charged forward and crashed through the door. He heard Ron run in behind him, but didn't take his eyes off the giant creature that was now towering over Hermione.

xoxox

"Harry?" Hermione exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes, I am here! Though hither to concealed!" Harry replied.

"Oh rapture!" Hermione couldn't help laughing. 

"Just stay where you are, and we'll deal with this thing" Harry said, striding forward.

"Oh - pea brain!" Ron shouted out, charging past Harry "Leave her alone!" He picked up a piece of rubble and threw it at the troll. It bounced off the troll's head, which caused the beast to turn round and stare down at him and Harry.

"Good job Ron - now you've got a troll angry with you" Harry said sarcastically. He ran past the troll to stand in front of Hermione, then turned round and pointed his wand back at the creature "STUPEFY!" As the spell left his wand, he moved it slightly to the right, then pretended to frown as the spell shot past the troll and hit Ron in his chest, sending him flying backwards across the loo.

"Did you do that on purpose?" Hermione asked.

"Why would I want to stun someone who was helping me?" Harry asked in response.

"He wasn't helping all that much" Hermione pointed out.

"True" Harry nodded, then he looked back at the troll, which seemed to be watching them in confusion.

"So what are you going to do now?" Hermione asked. Harry smiled at her, then looked back at the troll.

"Tukura sshh mia pppphal rree" He said. Hermione blinked in surprise, while the troll's look of confusion grew stronger.

"Meea tu palanea?" The troll asked.

"Seea tu palanea" Harry nodded.

"Cantala shuvan grealla minala!" The troll raised its club and swung downwards. Harry let out a small sigh, then raised his wand.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" He yelled. The killing curse struck the troll, and he and Hermione watched as it fell backwards, destroying most of the remaining cubicles as it fell.

"You......" Hermione stared at him in surprise.

"I know, and I'm sorry about this, but I can't let you remember......" He turned his wand on Hermione "Oblivi...."

"Before you reprogram my memory, there is something you probably need to know" She said "Seea tu palanea siuaasi" Harry dropped his wand in surprise.

"Meea tu?"

"Seea tu" Hermione nodded. Harry bent down to pick up his wand, then straightened up. Taking a deep breath, he held his hand out to her to help her up. She stared at it for a few moments, then reached out and took it.

There was a flash of light, and when it faded, Harry and Hermione stared at each other in surprise.

"Well......ok" Harry said. Hermione smiled.

"Hello, old friend"


	6. Explanations and Complications

_"Hello, old friend"_ Hermione smiled at Harry "I should've realised it was you - we always do seem to end up together" Harry smiled back at her.

"And we always seem to find the nearest source of trouble" He replied, glancing over at the corpse of the troll lying spreadeagled across half the toilet cubicles "Strange that"

"We've lived a dozen life times each, Sally" Hermione said, glancing at the troll as well "So how are we going to explain this one? You know Frumplecore and his pet kitty are going to be curious" Harry snorted in amusement at her description of the Head and Deputy Head,

"We could claim it banged it's head and knocked itself out" He suggested.

"Then dropped down dead?" Hermione quirked an amused eyebrow at him "Do you really think they'll buy that?"

"From what I remember from the last time we were here, our most illustrious and beloved Headmaster wasn't the smartest tool in the box" Harry said "Which, given he is one of mine, is a huge embarrassment" He paused "Plus haven't you noticed? Dumbledore seems to be......."

"What?" 

"Overly interested in me" Harry finished "From what I've heard he's been asking all our teachers about my progress, and trying to find out more about me" 

"Well - you are The Boy Who Lived"

"(tm)" Harry interjected darkly, making Hermione smirk again.

"Vanquisher of the vile and venal villain Voldemort" She continued "If I were to pick a poster boy to groom into a champion of the light, I couldn't pick anyone better than you"

"So you think he's trying to groom me?" Harry asked in surprise.

"Not in a creepy way" Hermione rolled her eyes, then paused "At least I hope not - ewwww" She shivered "No - I think he wants you to be the chosen one - the student who will take charge of the year and be a role model for everyone else"

"The one girl in all the world with the strength and skill........" Harry giggled.

"Be serious, Sal - if Dumbledore is out to make you the leader of the first years, it will make our lives a little more complicated" Hermione sighed.

"A little more complicated?" Harry asked incredulously "We're over twelve hundred years old, we've lived over a dozen life times, we're still missing the third member of our little trio and we're doomed to repeat all this over and over again until we find the last scion and kill the bugger" He paused "Helga, my sweet, just how much more complicated do you think our lives CAN get?" As he finished speaking, they heard a rush of footsteps from outside.

"Dummy up" Hermione said quietly "Go with the knocking out story - the troll was chasing us around and it whacked its head on a pipe" She pointed upwards to the plumbing pipes that ran above them "And that you were trying a spell on the troll and hit Ronald by accident" She paused "You don't suppose....."

"The last scion is always an only child" Harry shook his head "And the Weasleys are legion - seven kids, and their father and mother are both from big families that have spread all over the world" He smiled "Ronald may be a tit, but he isn't the guy we're looking for" He stared down at the unconscious red-head "And unless something has changed since our last run, he isn't the third either"

"Oh god I hope not" Hermione pulled a face "Blergh!" Harry burst out laughing, then suddenly fell silent as eight members of staff came round the corner and through the demolished door to the girls' toilet.

"Potter? What are you doi..... Is that a troll?" Snape asked in surprise, staring at the body.

"It came after Hermione, Professor" Harry said.

"And what was Miss Granger doing here?" McGonagall asked in an arch tone. Hermione glanced at Ron, then looked back at the group of teachers.

"Someone was teasing me, Professor, and I wanted to take some time to get a hold of myself before I came to the feast" She paused, then her voice got quieter "I was just washing my face when the troll burst in and started rampaging about. I tried to hide in one of the loos, but it started smashing everything and I had to run out or get hit by the club"

"And Mr Potter and Mr Weasley?" Dumbledore asked, looking at the two boys.

"When we realised Hermione wasn't in The Hall - that she didn't know about the troll - we came to look for her" Harry said "One or two of the portraits told us she had come this way....."

"The portraits helped you?" Flitwick raised an eyebrow curiously.

"They know we're friends" Harry smiled at Hermione "And after they saw the troll go into the toilet, they thought someone should try to help her"

"Which does beg the question, Headmaster, why the staff didn't get here earlier" Hermione looked Dumbledore directly in the eye "If the portraits were able to tell two first years that it had trampled into a second floor toilet, why were they unwilling to tell the staff the same thing?"

"A question I will take up with them forthwith, Miss Granger" Dumbledore replied tartly "However I think of more importance is how you, Mr Potter and Mr Weasley are alive, while the troll appears - if I am not mistaken - to be dead"

"You would prefer us dead?" Harry asked in faked surprise, making Hermione laugh.

"That is not what I meant, Mr Potter" Dumbledore turned his gaze on him "I just find it hard to believe that three first years were capable of taking down a fully grown mountain troll" 

"Oh - we didn't, sir" Hermione said politely "I mean Harry and Ronald tried - they were soooo brave....."

"Oh please" Snape rolled his eyes.

".....but the troll was just too much for them" She sighed "Ronald tried throwing things at it, while Harry attempted a stunning curse he'd overheard from one of the fourth years"

"Unfortunately the troll moved and the curse....... kind of hit Ronald" Harry said apologetically "Then Hermione ran one way, I ran the other and the troll tried to chase us both...."

"And smacked its head on the pipe up there" Hermione pointed upwards "Must have knocked itself out"

"The troll is dead, Miss Granger" McGonagall said quietly.

"Maybe it hit its head REALLY hard" Hermione insisted, then she turned to stare at Dumbledore "Why are you questioning us, sir? A troll breaks in to your castle and nearly kills the three of us, and yet you are treating us like the bad guys!"

"I apologise if that is what it seems like, Miss Granger" Dumbledore stared at her in a grandfatherly way "I was just surprised by the idea that the three of you could overpower such a creature. However now that you have explained the situation, you are free to return to your common rooms"

"Perhaps they should go via the infirmary, Headmaster" Flitwick suggested "Mr Weasley, in particular, looks like he should spend an evening under Madame Pomfrey's care and ministration"

"Of course, Filius" Dumbledore nodded "Perhaps you and Minerva would escort them there?"

"Yes, Albus" Minerva nodded, then turned and drew her wand "Winguardiam Leviosa" Ron's body floated into the air "If you would like to accompany Professor Flitwick and I, we will take you to the infirmary"

"Thank you, Professor" Harry smiled, then held out his hand for Hermione. She slipped her hand into his, and they both followed the two professors towards the hole in the wall that had been the door. 

When they reached it, Hermione came to a halt, forcing the others to stop.

"Headmaster?" 

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"How did a troll get into the school? Aren't there wards and spells preventing that?"

"This matter will be fully investigated, Miss Granger" Dumbledore gave her another grandfatherly smile "Now - please go with Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick"

"Yes, sir" She nodded obediently, then the group left the toilet.

xoxox

"So how are we going to find our missing friend?" Harry asked half an hour later. He, Hermione and Ron were all tucked up in bed in the infirmary. Ron was still unconscious - Madame Pomfrey had cast a sleeping charm on him - and Harry and Hermione were talking in an ancient language that hadn't been used in nearly six hundred years. 

"We can't just run around touching everyone" Hermione said, then she looked up at him "Can we?"

"I think people might start to ask questions" Harry pointed out "Or - you know - complain"

"I know a few girls who wouldn't complain about being hugged by The Boy Who Lived" Hermione smirked at him.

"(tm)" Harry said, then rolled his eyes "God - it's like a reflex!" 

"Like when someone says the greater good" Hermione gave a short laugh. 

"The greater good?" Harry tilted his head to one side, making her laugh even more. 

"Never mind" She shook her head "So - if we can't going around giving out free hugs, how are we going to find Nina?"

"We could try asking questions in class - about things only the three of us know?" Harry frowned "But that might draw a lot of attention to us as well" 

"Yeah" Hermione sighed "I can try looking up birth record and so on, but that would only really work if she is a first-born witch, and based on past experience, Nina usually drops into a tenth or eleventh generationer"

"Well - could we narrow it down?" Harry pushed himself up in bed, staring across at Hermione, whose bed was on the other side of the infirmary "You were born....."

"September 1979" Hermione replied promptly "And you were born July 1980" 

"You know........ of course you know"

"(tm)" Hermione smirked at him again "The benefits of being famous"

"Quite" Harry laughed self-deprecatingly "She didn't die before you?"

"No" Hermione's voice was a near whisper "She was fighting by my side when the Death Eaters tortured me to death" She shivered "I don't know if she survived much longer though" She glanced up at Harry, looking sad "How about you?"

"I kind of lost track - after we were forced to separate, I had to go on the run" He sighed "It was the latter end of the war and I had got myself in more than a little trouble" He tilted his head to one side "There is something though"

"Oh yes?"

"Based on the last four cycles, she must have died by the...... what date did you say?"

"19th of September" Hermione said "Oh.... yes - I get it"

"We can be sure she was born on the 18th of September 1980 at the latest" Harry nodded at her look of understanding "We all die within a year of each other, so if you were the first to come back, she must have come back within the year"

"Oh dear" Hermione flopped back on her pillow, looking dejected again.

"Sweetie?" 

"Anyone born after back to school day is enrolled in the next year" Hermione closed her eyes "From what I remember, that year it was the 25th of August - it was a little earlier because of security concerns" 

"So if she was born after that, we won't see her until next year?" 

"Which renders hugging everyone in this year potentially pointless" Hermione nodded, eyes still closed, then she yawned "Sorry. Despite all the skill and experience......"

"You still have the body - and stamina - of a twelve year old girl" Harry smiled "Tell me about it. So - bed?"

"Are you propositioning me, Sal? What would my wife say?" Hermione giggled, then yawned again "Yeah - bed"

"Sleep well, Helga - we can deal with tomorrow, tomorrow"

"Good night, Salazar - sleep well and dream nice dreams"

xoxox

The next morning, Hermione woke up to find The Fat Friar hovering next to her bed, looking slightly agitated.

"Miss...... Granger - may I talk to you?" The ghost asked, glancing around.

"Of course" Hermione pushed herself up in bed, leaning back against the pillow "What can I do for you?"

"Last night - when the troll was loose in the school - the portraits on the third floor noticed something unusual" The Friar started floating back and forth, clearly nervous about something.

"So why tell me? Why don't you report it to Professor Sprout or the Headmaster?" She folded her hands on the blanket in front of her "Why come to a first year girl?"

"Because of who you are, My Lady" The Friar gave a slight bob, then looked down towards the end of the infirmary "I know you want to keep your return a secret, but the ghosts and portraits are all rejoicing that you have come back home" Hermione quirked an eyebrow at him.

"How did you know?" She asked after a minute "And are you the only ones?"

"We are servants of the school, My Lady - of the school and of those who built it. And although our allegiance is to The Headmaster, we have a stronger allegiance ot the students and to those who built the castle" He paused "To you"

"Thank you" She smiled "So - what do you have to tell me?"

"Last night, while you and Lord....." The Friar stopped as she raised her hand.

"I think if you refer to us by our given names, it will be easier and less suspicious" She said, and The Friar gave a brief nod.

"Last night when you and Harry were fighting the troll, one of the staff tried breaking into a locked room on the third floor" He said.

"Which member of staff?" Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"Professor Quirrell" The Friar said quietly.

"The same one who told us about the troll in the first place?" She asked, and he nodded "Do you think he set it loose?"

"We don't know" The Friar admitted "But he was trying to break into the corridor that The Headmaster put off limits to the school" 

"He was?" They both turned as Harry's voice came from the other side of the hospital wing.

"Good morning, starshine" Hermione smiled "How are you....."

"What does Snumblemore have in that corridor?" Harry threw his covers back and stalked over to stand at the end of Hermione's bed "What was so important that Quirrell set a troll loose in the school as a distraction?"

"We don't know" The Friar bowed his head apologetically "The Headmaster has warded the entire area with the strongest wards I have ever encountered - the ghosts are unable to see through them, let alone pass through them"

"Myrtle told me he was keeping a troll up there" Hermione pointed out.

"We saw the troll being taken up there" The Friar replied promptly "But once it passed the ward boundaries, it became utterly invisible to us" 

"Then I say we make that our next target" Harry looked at Hermione "If the great and powerful Oz is keeping something up there that is worth risking the lives of everyone in the school for, I think we should find out what it is"

"I agree" Hermione nodded, then she looked at The Friar "Mathias - why did the staff take so long to arrive? Did you not try to inform the Headmaster of where the troll was? that I was in danger?"

"We did, My Lady" The Friar insisted "We informed him that it was rampaging around the second floor and that three of his students were in mortal peril, but he just thanked us for the information and then ignored it" 

"Why would......" Hermione started, but Harry raised his hand. 

"Madame Pomfrey is about to come in - we should leave it for another time" He looked at The Friar "Thank you for your help"

"It is our duty and our honour" The Friar said proudly "And - with your blessings - we will continue to watch and to assist"

"Thank you" Hermione gave him a bright smile "I am sure we will take you up on that offer, but for now....."

"For now I should go, since I will otherwise reveal your secret" He gave a single nod, then turned and floated out of the infirmary. Harry walked back over to his bed, and climbed in. 

"Do we fake sleep?" He asked, but Hermione shook her head.

"She'll have heard us talking " She explained "Don't worry - I cast the obfuscating spell the moment that Mathias started talking to me - but Madame Pomfrey will have heard the voices"

"Okay" Harry nodded "So - how are you feeling?"

"I think that is my question, Mr Potter" Madame Pomfrey came out of her office and walked over to his bedside "Any soreness? Stiffness? Headache?"

"No - thank you Madame Pomfrey" Harry gave her a winning smile "I feel perfectly fine thank you"

"Miss Granger?" Pomfrey turned and walked over to Hermione's bed "How are you?"

"I am perfectly fine as well, thank you" Hermione's smile mirrored Harry's "The troll didn't touch me yesterday - just scared me a little"

"Well - if you have any bad dreams, let me know and I will see what I can do" She looked back at Harry for a moment, then smiled "You are both well enough to leave, but - as I said - if you feel unwell or have any other side effects, come back and let me know at once"

"Yes, Madame Pomfrey" Harry and Hermione said in unison, then Harry glanced at the bed next to him "What about Ronald?" He asked.

"I am going to wake him up in about half an hour, and check there are no after effects of the stunning curse or anything else" Pomfrey paused "You are sure the troll didn't hit him?"

"Yes, Madame Pomfrey" Harry nodded insistently "The only person who attacked him was....... well - was me" He paused "Not that I did it on purpose"

"The thought never crossed my mind" Pomfrey smiled at him "Now go, before I decide to keep you here another night"

xoxox

"So how can we find out what's upstairs?" Harry asked as he and Hermione walked back towards Gryffindor Tower "If Bumblespore has set up wards powerful enough to prevent the ghosts from getting in, then he has probably set up alert wards as well....... son of a manticore!"

"Sweetie?" Hermione stared at him in confusion.

"If he does have alert wards - which I am pretty sure he will - he must have known about Quirrell as well" Harry paused "Yet I am willing to bet he won't have done anything about it" Hermione stared at him for a few moments, then blinked.

"He wanted Quirrell up there?" She asked, although it wasn't really a question "He wanted Quirrell to try to steal whatever he has up there?"

"It would explain why he ignored the ghosts' warnings about the troll - whatever Quirrell was doing probably would not have been best served by the rest of the staff piling into the corridor and finding him" Harry paused "But that still doesn't really answer my original question - do you think we can get past the wards without triggering a single one?"

"Oh gods yes" Hermione nodded emphatically "I know we are just two kids, and I know Stumblemore has decades of experience and a lot of skill on his side, but you are forgetting the one thing you usually always forget whenever we come back here"

"I am?" Harry asked.

"You are" Hermione nodded "Which is however good the wards he has put in place, they will have - they must have - been put in place on top of our original wards"

"Oh yeah" Harry sighed "Why do I always forget that?"

"Because Nina and I are the brains of the group - you are just here for the brawn" Hermione smirked at him, making him laugh. 

"True" He admitted "So - we should be able to manipulate the wards to hide us from his wards?"

"Yes" Hermione nodded again "And once we've found out what he's hiding...."

"And why he wants Quirrell to find it, and why he was willing to put our lives at risk to let him do it"

".....then we can deal with it" Hermione finished "So - do we go up now, or wait for the night to cover our tracks?"

"Honestly? I could do with a bit of a rest" Harry admitted, then he smirked "I'm not as young as I used to be"

xoxox

Ron walked into The Great Hall at lunch time, and headed straight over to where Harry and Hermione were sat. 

"Ronald" Hermione gave a polite nod "How are you feeling?"

"I still have a bit of a headache - Pomfrey says it will fade by the end of the day, just a side effect of being stunned and the sleeping charm" He sat down next to Harry and started scooping food onto his plate.

"Yeah - sorry about that" Harry said apologetically "I was aiming for the troll and it moved"

"Don't worry about it" Ron waved his hand "We saved Hermione - that's all that matters" He looked past Harry to Hermione "Hermione - can I just say I'm sorry for what I said. I was annoyed, and I took it out on you"

"Don't worry about it" Hermione replied in the same tone "I think you have more than paid for the insult, and besides....." She trailed off "Some of what you said was true - I can be annoying sometimes, and I suppose I can sometimes seem like a know-it-all" She paused "Still friends?"

"Friends" Ron nodded, then he started eating his lunch.

xoxox

Later that night, Harry and Hermione left the Gryffindor common room and headed down to the third floor.

"How will we know if we set off the wards or not?" Hermione asked as she and Harry reached the corridor they had been warned about. Harry came to a halt, then glanced around.

"Guys? You all know why we are here, right?" He called out. The various character in the portraits spread out along the corridor all turned to face them.

"Yes, my Lord" A country maid said from about halfway down the corridor.

"Do any of you have a way of........ seeing what is going on in Dumbledore's office?" Harry asked.

"Yes, my Lord" The maid nodded, then frowned "But we are not permitted to spy on the Headmaster, my Lord - not even for you and our Lady"

"I don't want you to spy on him - I don't care what he does in his cave" Harry walked down the corridor, until he stood in front of the portrait "All we wish to know is if he is alerted to our presence when we go through that door" He paused "We know you can't report on him to us, or to anyone, but we just need to know if we are detected or not" The maid stared at him for a moment, then gave a single nod "Thank you, Sophia - your mother would be proud of you"

"Thank you, my Lord" She bobbed a curtsy. Harry smiled, then turned to Hermione "Shall we?" 

"We shall" She nodded, then they both walked down to the door at the end of the corridor and came to a half in front of the locked door. 

"A locked door?" Hermione quirked an eyebrow "There is certain death behind this door, and all that is between us and it is a lock?" She shook her head "I know we swore not to interfere with history - the last scion notwithstanding - but Dumbledore is really, really making me want to break that rule"

"I know, love - but it's not our place to decide who is right and who is wrong. I know we are revered - worshipped even - but we are not gods and we shouldn't act like it" He smiled at her "You know Nina would say the same"

"I know" Hermione pouted at him "Do I have to be happy about it?" She looked at the door "So - do we go in?" 

"Are you a witch or not?" Harry rolled his eyes, then drew his wand "Alohamora!" 

"You really think that will work......" Hermione started, then fell silent as the lock let out a single click, then the door slowly started to swing open "He really is a fool" She shook her head "Okay - lets see what's so important......" She pushed the door open and strode inside. A moment later, she slowly backed out, pulling the door closed.

"What is it?"

"There's a hell-hound in there" She said calmly. 

"A hell-hound?"

"A three-headed hell-hound" She nodded "I think it's stood on top of a trap-door, but honestly I didn't stay long enough to find out"

"I thought three-headed dogs guarded the entrance to hell?" Harry frowned "And I think I'd remember if we built our school on top of a hellmouth" 

"No - the only active hellmouth is below that school in southern California" Hermione shook her head "Whatever is down there, Grumblecore at least had the brains to put more protection on it than just a simple locked door" She paused "So what do we do now?"


	7. A Merry Little Christmas

Harry, Ron and Hermione walked into The Great Hall as the last breakfast before the students left for Christmas was just getting underway. 

"You are really staying here for Christmas?" Ron asked as the three of them stat down at the end of the Gryffindor table.

"Yes, Ronald, we are really staying here for Christmas" Hermione said in an exasperated tone "Just like the last seven times you asked us" 

"But......" Ron started, then trailed off "But why?"

"My Aunt and Uncle don't like me" Harry said "They would be happy if I never came home again"

"And my parents are going to visit my Aunt Hortense in America" Hermione added "I offered to stay at school because it meant they could leave before the end of term"

"And that's important?" Ron looked at her, confused.

"In the mor.... in the muggle world, holidays and flights are more expensive during the holidays" Hermione explained "They left a week ago, so it was relatively cheap"

"Flights? Muggles can fly?" Ron exclaimed, causing a few heads to turn in their direction. He blushed slightly, then lowered his voice "How can muggles fly? They don't have brooms - they don't even have magic carpets!" Harry and Hermione exchanged despairing glances.

"How about I get a book for you over Christmas?" Hermione suggested "One that tells you all about planes, helicopters and the Wright brothers"

"The right brothers? What made them right?" Ron asked curiously.

"Oh for gods' sake" Hermione dropped her head onto the table, making Harry laugh "And what's so funny, Mr Potter?"

"You just dropped your head into a plate of mushrooms" Harry pointed out. 

"I was wondering why it was so warm" Hermione raised her head, then pealed a mushroom off her forehead "Ronald - I will get you a book" She paused "I will even make it one with pictures so you can understand it" Harry snorted in amusement, but Ron merely smiled.

"Thank you" He said, then glanced at his watch "I should be going. I've got to get my trunk and take it down to the entrance before the carriages start to leave"

"Well have a merry Christmas, Ronald, and we will see you when you come back"

"Thank you" He grinned at them, then - taking a last sausage off the plate - he stood up and bounded out of The Hall.

"Thank god for that - I thought he'd never go" Hermione glanced at the door, then looked back at Harry "So - do you think it will work?" 

"We know about the dog. And while Nina would probably be helpful, we don't know where she is, so we're going to have to deal with the hell-hound ourselves"

"My most beloved taught me her animal charm, so I should be able to subdue it" She paused "You know that can't be the only thing guarding.... whatever it is down there"

"We could try subduing the overgrown puppy then having a look" Harry suggested "I don't suppose you noticed if the wards were compound or not?"

"Sorry" She shook her head "I was trying to not get eaten by the overgrown puppy" Harry smiled.

"Good plan" He said, still smiling.

"So basically we have no clue what we are facing, how far the wards extend or what we are looking for once we get to where we are going......" She trailed off "Which we also don't know"

"When you put it like that you make it sound impossible" Harry laughed.

"Where you see impossibility, I see a new and exciting challenge! Hermione smiled back at him "So - tonight?"

"Tonight" He nodded.

"Won't be just any night....." Hermione sang, then fell silent "I'll look up Nina's animal spell, just to make sure I remember it correctly"

"Probably a good idea" Harry nodded "Meet you in the common room at midnight?"

"Midnight"

xoxox

"You are late" Hermione looked up from the book she was reading as Harry walked down the stairs from his dormitory.

"Sorry. I was dreaming about my Lucy again - didn't want to wake up" He replied, sitting down next to her. She rested her hand on his.

"You'll be together soon, Sal" She said softly. He smiled back at her sadly.

"You've been saying that for nine hundred years, sweetie" She turned to looked at him, then rested her head on his shoulder.

"This time..... I don't know" She paused, looking pensieve "There's something in the air - it feels like this will be the last time. That we'll finally break the curse" 

"It's a nice thought, but if I start thinking that way - start hoping that this will be it....." He shook his head "I lived like that for four hundred years..... I can't do it again. I can't do it again" She squeezed his hand. 

"I know" She said, then she let go of him and stood up "So - are we going to go forth and vanquish the hound of hell?"

"We shall" He got to his feet as well, then together they walked out of the common room. 

"Good luck" The Fat Lady called as they walked off down the corridor. 

"Thank you" Hermione called back. 

xoxox

"Alohamora" Harry said, and the lock clicked open. He looked at Hermione.

"I realise this is somewhat unchivalrous, and definitely not my usual modus operandi, but - after you"

"Why thank you, dear heart" She gave a polite bow, then she pushed the door open and drew her wand before striding in. 

"Mindas unala, mi tumacha vasmiana" She whispered, and a yellow mist was expelled from the end of her wand. It floated across the room and engulfed the three heads of the dog at the other end. As she watched, the hell-hound turned all three heads to look at her, then it slowly bent its legs until it was - more or less - knelt in front of her. 

"You can come in now, Harry" She said, then she walked over until she was standing an inch away from the hell-hound. She reached out and stroked it behind the left ear of the middle head "I'm sorry I had to take your will, my sweet, but we can't have you eating us, and this was the only way we could do it" The three heads gave a soft whine.

"I promise I will give you your free will back when we're done, and I promise to give you a lovely present for what I've done" She finished, then turned in time just to see Harry open the trapdoor. 

"Looks like...... some kind of plant?" He sat, gazing down into the hole "Herbology was never really my strong point, but I think it's a Devil's Snare" Hermione moved over to stand next to him, and looked down.

"Most plants look alike to me" She said with a shrug "So what do we do?"

"Sunlight" Harry replied promptly "Unless we want to destroy it?"

"If we destroy it he'll know we've been here" Hermione shook her head "And if this is a trap for someone - for Quirrell - then we should probably leave it intact"

"I suppose" Harry nodded, then he drew his wand and pointed it into the hole "LUMOS SOLARIS MAXIMUS!" The entire room was lit up by a light brighter than the sun. The hell-hound whined again, covering its eyes with its paws, while Hermione shaded her eyes and stared down into the hole.

"I think you're done" She said, then - without another word - jumped down into the hole. Harry cut the spell off and jumped in after her. 

"Will the spell hold?" He asked as he landed next to her "I'd hate to fight our way through this only to get eaten when we get back" 

"You doubt me?" She asked in an insulted tone, making him smile.

"It wasn't me who caused the Great Fire of London, sweetie" He replied, then laughed when she stuck her tongue out at him "So - what's next?"

xoxox

"So what's he like?" Ron looked up at his bedroom door, then frowned.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" He asked his little sister. Ginny was bouncing up and down on her heels.

"But you haven't talked to me since you got back" She said in a whiny voice "You've spent three months with him - eaten with him, played with him, slept with him..... tell me what's he's like? Is he everything they say he is?"

"Go to bed Ginny - I will tell you all about him tomorrow" Ron said, yawning. 

"I can't sleep - I want to know!" Ron stared at his little sister for a few moments.

"He's just a boy" Ron replied "Now go to bed, before Mum....."

"Before Mum what?" A voice came from behind Ginny, and both she and Ron looked to see Fred leaning against the wall "Ginny - why aren't you in bed?"

xoxox

Harry and Hermione watched the keys flying around over their head, then looked down at the door. 

"Your body is pretty good on a broom" Hermione said "I think if you fly up there and grab the key we need, we can probably get through the door"

"Alohamora!" Harry spun and pointed his wand towards the door, then stared in surprise as nothing happened "ALOHAMORA!" He yelled, then - when nothing happened again - he looked down at his wand, and shook it up and down.

"Must be out of batteries" He said, making her smirk. 

"There's an anti-anti-locking charm as well as a locking charm" She said "It's quite an intricate, not to mention impressive, piece of spell layering" 

"Dumbledore?"

"Flitwick" 

"Oh" Harry glanced at the door, then back at the brooms leaning against the nearest pillar "Well - I guess it's my turn to fly" 

xoxox

"You want to know about Harry Potter?" Fred frowned "Why?"

"He's...... he's my hero" Ginny said insistently "He's so heroic and dashing and...."

"A bit of a squirt" Fred interjected. Ginny stared at him.

"A squirt?"

"He's a firstie" Fred pointed out "Everyone's a squirt in the first year - even Bill and Charlie were tiny back then"

"But what's he like? Is he brave? Handsome? Is he everything the saviour of the wizarding world should be?" Fred looked at his little sister with slight concern.

"Ginny..... " He started.

"Yes?" Ginny looked up at him, eyes dreamy. 

"Harry is a great kid. I'm sure you'll be great friends next year"

"Really?" 

"Really" Fred nodded "Now - go to bed. Ron's right - you don't want to be caught up by Mum at this time of night"

xoxox

"BOMBARDIA DISRUPTIA!" Hermione and Harry both shouted in unison, and the two balls of red light shot out of their wands and crashed into the troll, sending it flying across the room and crashing in to the far wall. 

"INCAPATITIUS DEMENTOUS" Hermione followed up the spell, and sighed in relief as the troll closed its eyes, then started snoring a moment later.

"That will last until we are out of here" She said, breathing heavily "And I know we decided we can't act as judge and jury, nor are we gods who can remake the future to what we think it should be, but I promise you - before we leave, there is going to be a reckoning" She stared at the troll, then turned back to Harry "We can't leave him in charge of a school full of children. We just can't"

"I know" Harry nodded "I thought we could just let it go on, but....." He waved his hand "He brought a troll into our school. That's not something we can just ignore" He paused "But that's for the future. Right now we have to find out what else is in this fun house of horrors" He looked over at the door "What do you reckon?"

"Based on this" She gestured at the troll "I'd say probably a waterfall of acid or flying knives that react to sound" Harry laughed.

"I was thinking dragon or chimera" He replied, then he walked over to the door and pulled it open "Well - huh"

xoxox

"Are you sure that this will work, Albus?" McGonagall was sat opposite Dumbledore in his office. 

"I can not be sure of anything, Minerva" Dumbledore confessed "However it is my firm belief that - now that Harry has returned to the wizarding world - Voldemort is going to return. He knows of the prophecy. He knows that Harry is the one - the only one - who can bring his life to an end, and I believe he will make every attempt to deal with Harry when he is still a child" McGonagall frowned at him.

"Is that why you are using The Stone as bait? Why you convinced the rest of the staff and me to put the rest of the students in danger?" Her voice became firm "Are you risking the safety of the school on a hunch, Headmaster?"

"Lord Voldemort is one of the most powerful wizards in history, Minerva, but more than that he was one of the brightest and most cunning students I have ever encountered" Dumbledore folded his hands into a point under his chin "After his defeat on Halloween, he will be searching for a way to return himself to himself to his former glory. The Stone will provide him a way to do that - it will be a bait he cannot resist"

"And you are sure he will be trapped by it? That he won't just take it and leave, stronger than ever?"

"Oh yes, Minerva" Dumbledore smiled confidently "Of that I am certain"

xoxox

Harry and Hermione stared at the scene in front of them.

"And how is this supposed to stop Quirrell, exactly?" Harry asked after a few moments of looking at the giant chess set they were faced with "He is apparently a retired member of The Dark Force Defence League, and, according to Percy, one of the foremost experts in the country"

"It does seem a little..... tame" Hermione agreed. She took a few steps forward until she was on the chessboard. She paused, then took a few more steps forward and stopped when the row of black pawns all drew their swords and pointed them at her.

"Nice charm work" Harry said calmly "Do you think they are sentient, or just charmed to respond?"

"Charmed" Hermione replied at once "McGonagall and Flitwick could have imparted their own knowledge about chess into the spell controlling all this, but there is no way they can have given the pieces their own free will and artificial intelligence" She paused, then slowly walked backwards until the pawns lowered their swords.

"So how do we get past them?" Harry asked "I was never very good at chess"

"Ditto" Hermione sighed "We could use the imperious curse to subdue their will, but that only works on creatures that actually have a will to start with" She paused, then shrugged "So instead...... " She drew her wand "REDUCIO ENTRACIA MINIMUS" A thin wall of blue light appeared in front of her, then moved forward until it passed through all of the black chess pieces facing them. As Harry watched, all sixteen pieces shrunk down to the size of regular chess pieces. 

"Good choice" He congratulated Hermione as they both started walking towards the lines of diminutive pieces. They stepped over both ranks in a single bound, then walked up to the door.

"So that's what? Hagrid, Sprout, Hooch, Quirrell, McGonagall and Flitwick?" Hermione asked as she reached out to pull the door open "I guess that just leaves Snape?"

"Just Snape" Harry nodded in agreement, then they both walked through the open door.

xoxox

"Deck the halls with bows of holly" Petunia sang to herself as she walked down the stairs into the front room, carrying a box. 

"God rest ye merry gentlemen......" Vernon trailed off when he realised his wife was singing a different carol "Or fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la" He smiled when she gave a fond laugh.

"That's Harry's favourite carol" She said, then smiled softly "You miss him, don't you?"

"I do" He admitted "But from his last letter, I can see why he had to stay at that school of his" He paused "If this is really their chance to gain their freedom - to bring all this to an end - how can I stand in their way?"

"That's the man I love" She said, leaning over and kissing him on the top of his head before sitting down next to him "Do you have the paper and stuff?"

"Of course" Vernon pretended to be insulted "Do you think I would sit down to wrap my favourite nephew's Christmas present without stuff to wrap it in?" He looked at the box "Do you think he'll like it?" Petunia laughed.

"Buying a present for someone who watched his father depart for The Crusades and watched Elizabeth The First come to the throne is harder than it seems" She said, then picked up the box "But I think we'll be okay with this" Vernon glanced at the box, then looked up at her husband.

"Then lets get to it"

xoxox

  
"Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,  
Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,  
One among us seven will let you move ahead,  
Another will transport the drinker back instead,  
Two among our number hold only nettle-wine,  
Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line  
Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore  
To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:  
First, however slyly the poison tries to hide  
You will always find some on nettle wine's left side  
Second, different are those who stand at either end  
But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;  
Third as you see clearly, all are different size  
Neither dwarf nor giant hold death in their insides;  
Fourth, the second left and the second on the right  
Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight."  


Hermione stared at the parchment on the table, then turned to Harry.

"Have I mentioned how much I hate riddles?"

"I think I remember it coming up once or twice" He smiled "Fortunately, you have the master of cunning by your side" He walked up to stand next to her, then looked down at the parchment. He stared at in silence for a few moments, then looked up at the seven bottles floating in a line. 

"That one" He said, pointing to one of the bottles. 

"You sure?" 

"Could not be more so" He nodded, then he lowered his arm, frowning slightly "Do you know what I don't get?"

"According to Nina, pretty much everything" Hermione smirked.

"If this is supposed to be a set of protections, to keep something safe, why make them so easy to get through?" Harry continued as if she hadn't spoken "I mean - I know we are more powerful than your average mage, but even if we were the first years we are pretending to be, I am pretty sure we could still have got past all of these with little or no trouble" Hermione looked at him, mind racing.

"We learned about Devil's snare in our first lesson" She said after a few minutes "And if you can fly, and play chess, then the only problems you could have are with the troll and the hell-hound" 

"There's probably a way to get the dog to sleep" Harry said "Feed it, or sing to it or something" He paused "And the three of us..... two of us took down the troll in the bathroom. We probably could've done it again"

"And this is just a logic problem" Hermione waved at the bottles "Which would stump most wizard, but the first-born mages in the school would have been taught some sort of puzzle solving or logic stuff at school" She paused "You think this is a set up? That someone...."

"Dumbledore"

".....set this up to let someone get past it?" She asked "Why would he do that?"

"I think we're only going to find the answer when we find out what we're looking for" He said, then he pulled the bottle he had pointed to out of the air and popped the stopper out of it "Is there enough for two?"

"If you're right, there won't have to be" Hermione took a step forward and reached her hand out, but withdrew it quickly before she touched the wall of fire "I think once the bottle is drunk, the flames will stop until we cross that line" Harry put the bottle to his lips, then drunk the contents down in one go. As he swallowed, the flames vanished. 

"Just in case, lets go together" He held out his hand. Hermione took it, then they both walked forward and crossed over the line where the firewall had been. As they reached the door, they both heard a "wump" and turned to see the flames had re-ignited.

"Well - that answers that question" Harry grinned, then he pushed open the door in front of them and they both walked in to find themselves stood in a large, pillared chamber with a large, ornate mirror in the central well. 

"The Mirror of Erised?" Hermione said in surprise "Dumbledore has that here?" She looked at Harry "Is that what he's protecting?"

"Maybe" Harry drew his wand and cast a number of detection spells. When they all came back negative, he walked down the steps and over up to the mirror. He started examining it, while avoiding looking directly into the glass. 

"Don't want to your heart's desire?" Hermione asked quietly from just behind him.

"You know my heart's desire - it's the same as yours" He replied without stopping what he was doing "There is a containment charm cast around the mirror"

"That idiot!" Hermione's voice almost exploded with rage "This is a priceless magical artefact - one of the seven Mythical Mirrors of Atlantis - and he uses it as a container?" She turned on her heal, but stopped as Harry's hand whipped out to catch her.

"Patience and restraint, my dear" He said, pulling her into a tight hug "You can't just go and kill him"

"Watch me" She growled, then she sighed "You can let go - I'm not going to hurt him" Harry held her for a moment longer, then released her "At least - not yet, but mark my words - he will pay for this.... this blasphemy"

"I know" He agreed softly, then he looked back at the mirror "I wish Nina were here - she'd know if this is going to work without damaging the mirror" He raised his wand "The containment charm has a specific key, but I can't figure it out. However I am confident I can dispel the charm, releasing whatever is inside, but there's a possibility it would dispel ALL the enchantments on the mirror - I could destroy it forever" Hermione stared at him, then started laughing "Given you were ready to kill Dumbledore for doing this, I have to admit that wasn't the reaction I was expecting"

"Sal - I know that we are two of the three most powerful mages alive, and that there is no one, apart from my most lovely and beautiful wife, who could hope to equal us, but I think there is a chance you are over estimating your skills" She looked at the mirror "This was enchanted by The Atlantians - by Merlin and The Elder Mages. I doubt that even your most powerful finite charm would scratch the surface of what they did" She patted his arm "I think you are safe to do what you want to do, sweetie"

"Well - if you're sure" He raised his wand and pointed it at the centre of the mirror "Finite incantatum!" There was a faint pulse of light, and then a small, red crystal fell out of the glass onto the floor. 

"What did I tell you?" Hermione grinned at him, the knelt down and picked up the crystal. She turned it over in her hand, then turned her head and looked up at him "Harry - you're not going to believe this"

xoxox

"Volarimus un revivo est" Hermione watched as the purple mist engulfed the three heads of the hell-hound, then - as the creature began to stir - she pulled the door closed and cast the locking charm.

"All in all, a good night's work" She smiled at Harry "The traps are all reset, so if Dumbledore checks he won't notice anything has changed, and if anyone does make it through all those traps, then they're not going to find anything at the end because we have it right here" She patted her pocket.

"Still not sure why Dumbledore has a philosopher's stone at the end of all that" Harry said "Or who he is trying to lure to it?" He paused "Or why he wants you and me - Harry and Hermione, that is - to go through it" He shrugged "But now - time for bed"


	8. What Isn't There

Hermione walked into The Great Hall, then came to a dead halt, staring around her in surprise. 

"Interesting, isn't it?" She continued to stare around The Hall as Fred and George walked in and stood either side of her.

"Not quite the world I would use" She replied, taking a final look at the various decorations that now bedecked The Great Hall "Is the ma.... is the wizarding world usually this keen to celebrate Valentine's Day?"

"He was one of the greatest wizards of his time" Fred said.

"Of all time" George added.

"St Valentine was a wizard?" Hermione asked in surprise "Really?"

"You've heard of Master Valentine?" George asked in an equally surprised tone.

"Master Valentine?" Hermione arched an eyebrow. 

"Along with Merlin and The Founders, he is considered one of the greatest heroes of our society" Fred explained "During his life time, he helped hundreds, if not thousands, of witches and wizard escape the inquisitions of the day. He was also one of only four known aphrodites - mages who could accurately match couples" He paused "Hence the hearts and flowers"

"In my world, he was put to death for marrying couples in the Christian faith - something the Romans didn't approve of" Hermione tilted her head to one side "He was really a wizard?"

"Yes" George nodded "So - any young swains you have your eye on this festival day, Miss Granger?"

"Why, Mr Weasley, isn't that a bit of an impertinent question - we barely know each other!" Hermione clasped her hands to her chest and fluttered her eyebrows. 

"Well - my brother and I have both noticed that you are spending a lot of time with Mr Potter, and with our younger brother Ron" Fred said "So - naturally - we were curious if you had any..... inclinations?" 

"Guys - I'm twelve years old and they are both eleven" She smiled "It hadn't even crossed my mind"

"Fair enough" They both shrugged in unison, then George continued "Now, if you will excuse us, we do have girlfriends waiting and it is not wise to keep a lady waiting" They walked past her towards the Gryffindor table, while Hermione looked round at the balloons, flowers and floating hearts that decorated the walls of The Great Hall. 

"Bloody hell" She smiled at the sound of Harry's voice behind her.

"Apparently you are one of the greatest heroes of the wizarding world, my friend" She said in a quiet voice, then added with a slight smirk "One who saved thousands of mages from the Church" 

"There is more that unites the two worlds than divides them" Harry replied with a laugh "One world makes me a legend for defying The Church, while the other canonises me for defending it" He paused "Do you think if we told them that, they might learn to live in peace?" They stared at each other for a moment, then both shook their heads.

"Naah"

"Naah" 

"Fred and George asked me about you" Hermione said as they walked over to the end of their table "And Ron"

"Me and Ron?" Harry quirked an eyebrow "Cause - ew"

"They were asking if I had any inclinations towards either of you" Hermione rolled her eyes, then frowned "Ew?"

"He doesn't shower, he rarely washes, he snores like a freight train and his table manners would make Gargamel The Uncouth blush in shame" Harry said darkly "So - ew" Hermione gave a soft laugh, then started serving herself breakfast. 

"I've been giving our problem some thought" Harry said as Hermione started to eat "We know, or at least we are fairly certain, that our most beloved Headmaster brought The Philosopher's Stone to Hogwarts because he wants to lure Voldemort here, correct?"

"Yes" Hermione nodded.

"And, in an act of almost indescribable stupidity....."

"For which he will pay"

".....he put it in The Mirror of Erised to try to keep it safe" Harry continued "Although putting it almost anywhere in the world would probably have kept it safer. Hell - even throwing it in The Black Lake would have been a better idea than the mirror" He paused, then took a deep breath "But, as I was saying, we think that Dumbledore is trying to lure Voldemort here so that The Dark Lord can be dealt with" 

"Either by him, or someone else" Hermione paused.

"You still think he is trying to get me to do it?" Harry asked.

"I think he has an unhealthy interest in you" She said "Initially I just thought he was trying to get you to be the next leader of the light, so to speak, but getting you killed by Voldemort wouldn't really help that cause....." She trailed off "Unless....."

"Hermione?" Harry lowered his fork and stared at her "You do know you didn't finish that sentence, right?"

"I am aware" She said sarcastically "But you were the one who stopped Voldemort ten years ago, right?"

"Yeah" He nodded "The killing curse was flying towards me, then it struck an invisible barrier and rebounded, blowing Voldemort apart"

"What if he thinks you are the one to do it again?" Hermione leaned forward and lowered her voice - despite the fact they were surrounded by a privacy spell "Or he wants to see if you can do it again?"

"He's testing me?" Harry asked, voice rising in his anger. He glanced around, but no one was listening "He's testing me by putting me against the most powerful dark lord in recent history?"

"It's possible" Hermione said "But on the other hand, it could just be that he wants Voldemort caught and killed - which, I think we can both agree would be a good thing"

"True" Harry said "But if I have to die again......" He shook his head "Anyway - what were you going to say?" 

"Dumbledore wants Voldemort in the school - and he's using The Stone to do it" Hermione said "So whether or not it is part of Dumbledore's plan, we should be able to find him and possibly deal with him"

"Are you sure we should?" Harry asked pointedly "Wouldn't that violate our non-interference rule?"

"Arguably yes, but you've seen what he did during his first rise - a slaughter of the innocents the likes of which neither of us have ever seen" She paused "Which - you know - is saying something" She shook her head "We have the power to stop him - you know we do - and I think leaving him to rise again would be a bad idea" 

"I agree" Harry smiled "I just wanted to make sure we were doing it for the right reason rather than the wrong one" He reached out and took her hands "So - how do we find him?"

"The wards should be able to detect someone with a soul that dark" Hermione suggested after a few moments of silence "I know it was a while ago, but I seem to remember adding a few detection spells before....."

"Before the end of our time in charge?" Harry said with an amused curl of his lip "We did - we'd heard that there was a coven of witches planning on abducting thirteen of our students, so we added an aura detection ward around the castle"

"Yes, yes - I remember now" Hermione nodded "We didn't want to prevent them from coming in, but we spelled the ward to inform us so we could find them if they crossed the school boundary" She paused "If the ward is still there, we should be able to use it to find anyone who has crossed the wards, and find out where they are in the school"

"Sounds like a plan" Harry smiled "But the spell to show the tracks takes a lot of power, and from what I remember is not just a case of saying bippity-boppity-boo" He paused "We should probably wait until the weekend and find somewhere private"

"The Rec Room should still be here" Hermione glanced at her watch "We could go up there at lunch time, just to check it out"

"Okay" Harry nodded, then fell silent as Ron came into The Hall and walked over to them.

"Good morning, Ronald" Hermione smiled up at him "You realise you've only got ten minutes to eat breakfast before charms?"

"So what's he going to do with the other nine?" Harry interjected, making Hermione laugh and Ron roll his eyes. 

xoxox

"Show me...... show me my home" Harry said in a soft voice. He and Hermione were stood in front of a wooden door set in a wall of a corridor on the seventh floor of the school. As he finished speaking, the door glowed once, then slowly swung open. Harry looked at Hermione, who slipped her hand into his, then they both walked into the open doorway.

"Oh Lucy" He let out a long sigh "I swear I will see you soon" He felt Hermione hug him, and he put his arm around her waist and squeezed her.

"I know you miss her" Hermione whispered "I miss her too, so does Nina" 

"She's waiting for me to come home" Harry said, letting go of her to brush an errant tear from his cheek "But we came here for a different reason" He walked over to the love seat in front of the fireplace and sat down on the left hand side. Hermione followed him, but took a seat in the armchair to the right rather than sit next to him.

"Room - can you show us the Mary Michaels ward? If anything has set it off in the last year or so?" Hermione asked. For a moment, nothing happened, then a three dimensional model of the castle appeared in the centre of the room. A moment later, a silver dome appeared around it.

"The ward is still there" Harry noted.

"Always good" Hermione replied, then she watched as a black spot appeared on the dome and trailed into the castle, moving around a lot "Seems something has come to Hogwarts" She stood up, then knelt down in front of the model "Room - show me where this trail ends - where is the source of this darkness now?" The model started to expand with the black trail at the centre of the zoom. After a few more seconds, the model stopped, and Harry let out a surprised gasp. He looked at Hermione, who nodded in confirmation.

"Those were the quarters Lucy and I occupied" He said quietly "And if I am right, they are now occupied by Professor Severus Snape" As they watched, the black dot at the centre of the screen started moving again - out of the quarters and along the corridor. They both watched in silence until the dot came to a halt in the potions classroom.

"Room - is Professor Snape in the potions lab?" Harry asked.

"Yes, my Lord" A disembodied voice replied, making Harry wince.

"Sorry, Sal - I had forgotten Lucy enchanted the room to talk in her voice" Hermione whispered.

"So had I" Harry closed his eyes for a moment, then shook his head "Is there anyone else in that room?"

"No, my Lord" The voice said.

"Has anyone else breached the Michaels ward apart from Professor Snape?" Hermione asked.

"No, my Lady" 

"Is there anyone inside the wards who hasn't passed through The Michaels ward?" Harry asked.

"No, my Lord" Harry could have sworn the voice of his late wife sounded slightly patronising. 

"What made you ask that?" Hermione turned to look at him.

"Just a thought" He shrugged "I thought there might be a way to get into the school that was created since we cast the Michaels ward"

"But if he can bypass the ward, how would we know where he is?" She pointed out.

"I was hoping the ward might have picked him up once he was inside it, even if he didn't pass through it" Harry leaned forward, staring at the virtual model of Hogwarts "But apparently not"

"Hold on" Hermione got to her feet and sat back down in the armchair "What if you're right?"

"When am I ever not?" Harry said with a laugh.

"Let me count the ways" Hermione replied, then continued "What if he managed to make himself invisible to the ward? He could pass through it easily enough, and - because the ward doesn't know he was there, it would never know he was there, or anywhere else"

"Which means it wouldn't pick him up once he was inside the school either" Harry nodded in understanding "Wow - I am a genius"

"Yes dear" Hermione replied in a deadpan voice "But how would he know about the ward in the first place? The six of us were the only ones to know we cast it, and we didn't get a chance to write anything down because of......" She trailed off.

"We could be over thinking this" Harry bounced to his feet and started pacing back and forth.

"That is rarely, if ever, our problem" Hermione smirked, but Harry continued as if she hadn't spoken.

"Voldemort is a fairly bad person, right?" 

"Right"

"But also one of the more powerful mages in recent history"

"Right again"

"So if he was going to come to Hogwarts - home of one of the other most powerful mages in recent history who was on the other side of the war and one of the key figures in the battle against him - he would probably want to avoid being noticed" Harry span around to face her "And if the powerful mage that was stood against him was Headmaster, and therefore in control of the entire ward scheme of the castle......"

"Then instead of trying to make himself invisible to just one ward, it would probably be easier, not to mention less annoying, to make himself invisible to all of them" Hermione finished with a smile "Nina would be proud of you, old friend"

"Then my life is complete" Harry grinned back "So what we need to do is find someone who doesn't show up on the wards at all" He paused, then his face fell "Which is going to be nigh on impossible to do"

"Because while we can easily use the wards to find someone, we can't use them to find someone who they don't even know exists" Hermione flopped back in her chair with a sigh "It's like looking for a piece of hay in a massive stack of needles when the hay is invisible" 

"I thought the expression was needle in a haystack?" Harry blinked in confusion.

"It is, but it's a stupid expression" Hermione opened her eyes "Needles are magnetic, so if you want to find a needle in a haystack, get a magnet or a metal detector" She shook her head "Looking for a piece of hay in a stack of needles is far, far harder, even if the hay is not invisible"

"I suppose so" Harry walked over and sat down again "So - how do we find someone who isn't there?"

"And - on a slightly related topic" Hermione said "Why does Professor Snape show up as a dark soul?" There was a long pause before the voice answered.

"My Lord, My Lady - I am afraid.... I am very sorry but there are reasons why I can not answer you" It said, and Harry gave a soft smile as he realised the voice did indeed sound very apologetic. 

"What are those reasons?" He asked.

"Ever since you were cursed, and you began to return to this place time and again, you have expressed a desire not to interfere with the flow of history. You have said that you do not want to set yourself up as gods or as emperors - deciding the fates of people who lived long after you should have died"

"And we still intend to stick to that" Hermione said quietly "Even if we go after Dumbledore, we are going to let the people of this time deal with him - we aren't going to do it ourselves" She paused "Would telling us about Snape make us want to deal with him?"

"I am convinced that would be the case" The room said calmly.

"Given the way Dumbledore has been behaving, I have to say I'd agree with the room" Harry paused "Which is not a phrase I thought I would be saying when I woke up this morning" He looked over at Hermione "If Snape has done something evil enough to blacken his soul, he really should not be in a school full of children and depending on how bad his crime actually was I could easily see us losing our rag and doing something to him" He shook his head "If we want to deal with him, we'll have to do it the old fashioned way - the same way we are going to deal with Dumbledore" 

"I suppose" Hermione gave a sigh "Room - can you tell us one thing so we will know one way or the other" 

"I can try"

"We have already decided we are going to deal with Lord Voldemort, even if we have to break our.... our prime directive to do it. He is too much of a danger to be allowed to live, and when we find him, we are going to wipe him from the face of the earth, or die trying" She paused, then giggled "So to speak"

"I understand, My Lady - what would you like to know?" 

"Is the reason Snape's soul appears to be dark because he is actually Voldemort?" 

"No, My Lady - Severus Snape is Severus Snape. He is not Lord Voldemort" 

"And - given the nature of Voldemort's crimes and the fact he is reputed to be one of the most evil men in recent history - he should show up on The Michael's Ward?" Harry added.

"Yes, My Lord" The room replied, sounding slightly peeved "And while it is impossible to know for certain, the evidence would suggest he has found a way to hide himself from me" 

"There, there" Hermione patted the arm of her chair, smiling slightly "And thank you - you have been very helpful"

"I am happy to serve, My Lady, My Lord" The room said, then fell silent again. Hermione turned to Harry, glancing at her watch "So - how are we going to what isn't there?"

xoxox

Two weeks later, Harry, Hermione and Ron were digging through a pot of soil in the largest green house.

"The Lower Amazon Pine Frog is one of the most destructive species in the magical world" Professor Sprout was walking up and down between the tables, looking at the groups of students "While it is not dangerous to witches, wizard or even muggles, it can apparate through almost any substance - be it wood, bark, soil or even stone - to get to a food source. And since it will eat almost anything, these frogs have been known to destroy entire eco-systems in a matter of weeks" She stopped, looking over Draco's shoulder, then started walking again.

"There are a number of ways to tell if one of these frogs is loose in your green house or garden or grounds" She continued "The key one is the tell-tale holes in the dirt - completely empty patches of dirt surrounded by the earth that was already there" She paused "You can tell where these creatures have been by seeing what isn't there"

"What did she just say?" Harry's head span round, staring at Sprout before turning to look at Ron and Hermione "Did she just say what I think she just said?"

"That we can tell where the frogs have been by looking for what isn't there" Ron said, sounding slightly confused "Why?" Harry and Hermione exchanged glances, then Harry smiled.

"Just wanted to make sure" He said to Ron, then turned back to the pot of dirt that was on the table in front of them "Shall we?"

xoxox

"Class dismissed" Harry, Hermione and Ron walked out of the green house and started along the path that lead back towards the castle. 

"Ronald - can we catch you up?" Hermione said suddenly "I want to talk to Harry about....... about something" Ron glanced between them, then smiled.

"Okay. I will see you inside for tea" He gave them a quick grin, then turned and continued walking along the path. 

"You realise he thinks you are going to ask me to be your boyfriend, right?" Harry said as he and Hermione turned off the path and walked towards the Whomping Willow. 

"Really?" Hermione looked back at Ron, then shrugged "So what?"

"It doesn't bother you?" Harry frowned.

"I courted, dated and eventually married a woman most people thought I thought of as a sister in a period where women who loved women were considered to be the source of all evil" She replied "Compared to that the idle gossip of school children is nothing" She smiled "So - I take it you had the same idea I did?"

"If Voldemort has made himself invisible to the wards, then all we need to do is find everyone who the wards can detect and eliminate them" He paused "By which I mean make some kind of detection spell that we can remove them from - not kill them"

"It did seem like a bit of an over reaction" Hermione laughed "Do you think we can put up a new ward without Dumbledore detecting it?"

"I don't think we need to - at least not put one all over the school" Harry came to a halt, then sat down on the grass. A moment later Hermione sat down next to him, then Harry leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"I've done a bit of investigating over the last few weeks, and the ward scheme is a mess" He said with a sigh "It looks like every Headmaster has tried to put their own unique stamp on the wards and just made it worse, and I think if we try to create an over-arching ward - to cover the whole of the school - then we might bring the entire lot crashing down"

"Which is something EVERYONE will notice, not just Dumbledore" Hermione nodded "So what's your plan, Sal?"

"What is the one place we can almost certainly guarantee everyone will pass through in the next day or so?" He asked. Hermione stared back at him, then blinked as understanding struck her. 

"You want to set a ward up on The Great Hall?" She said, sounding impressed.

"We set up a simple detection ward on the entrance to The Great Hall that will register everyone who passes through it" He continued "And because it's a new ward, Voldemort won't have hidden himself from it"

"So if someone shows up on that ward who doesn't show up on the rest of the wards......"

"We'll have our guy" Harry nodded.

"Genius" Hermione exhaled.

"I know" Harry laughed.

xoxox

The next morning, Harry and Hermione were sat at breakfast, watching as student after student walked through the doorway and into The Great Hall. 

"Ninety minutes, Mr Potter" Hermione said quietly "We've been sitting here for ninety minutes waiting for the ward to be triggered"

"I know" Harry pushed his food around his plate, then looked up at the door at Flitwick came through "It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I am starting to realise there might be a flaw in the plan"

"We've got about...." She glanced at her watch "Twenty minutes before we have to go to Defence" She looked up as Dumbledore and McGonagall came in "Have you noticed how they always arrive for breakfast at the same time?"

"The same could be said about us" Harry pointed out as he skewered a sausage on his fork.

"I suppose" Hermione said "But we know that we aren't......" She trailed off, and Harry froze - his fork halfway to his mouth. 

"Him?" Hermione whispered "Really?"

"If we cast the ward right, it has to be" Harry replied, slowly lowering his fork back to his plate.

"But.... him?" Hermione asked again, sounding incredulous as they both watched Professor Quirrell walk up the central aisle of The Great Hall and take his seat at the staff table.


	9. The Heir Of Gryffindor

_"Him?" Hermione whispered "Really?"_

_"If we cast the ward right, it has to be" Harry replied, slowly lowering his fork back to his plate._

_"But.... him?" Hermione asked again, sounding incredulous as they both watched Professor Quirrell walk up the central aisle of The Great Hall and take his seat at the staff table._

They both continued to stare at Quirrell as their defence teacher tucked into a plate of scrambled eggs.

"Lord Voldemort is one of the most feared and loathed beings to ever walk this earth" Harry said in a quiet voice "Right up there with Jack the Ripper, Maleficent The Mighty, Ipslore The Red, Lois Runce and Mary Michaels. He was literally so scary that people refused to say his name because they thought he would appear behind them and kill them" He gazed at Quirrell, who jumped when Hagrid slammed his hand down on the table to emphasise a point he was making to Flitwick "Quirrell is a man who jumps at his own shadow and looks like a strong wind could knock him over" 

"You think your ward is wrong?" Hermione asked, not taking her eyes of the defence professor. 

"No" Harry shook his head "I am not saying I don't make mistakes, but I am not wrong about this" He gestured at Quirrell with his fork "That's Voldemort, I am sure of it"

"So either Quirrell is an exceptional actor and has the entire school - even Dumbledore - fooled....."

"Or there is something else going on. Something we're not seeing" Harry finished her sentence for her, then he lowered his fork, dropping it on to his plate "Do you think we can make him visible to the Mary Michaels ward without him knowing?"

"Probably" Hermione nodded "No one aside from The Founders know about the ward, and since there is absolutely no way he could be my Nina, I am pretty sure he won't even know the ward exists, let alone that we're using it to monitor him" She drew her wand and moved her hand under the table "Elamus bin lardana en clevus" As she finished, they both noticed a black cloud appear around Quirrell's head. 

"Do you think anyone else can see it?" Harry whispered. 

"No" She replied with a slight smile "Since we are the only people tuned to the ward, we are the only people who can see what it does" She turned her head slightly, then nodded towards Snape "Look at Dark Soul number two" Harry followed her gaze, then blinked in surprise at the cloud of darkness that was centred on Snape "If anyone had been able to see our manipulations, they would have seen Snape's mark a long time ago - the moment he crossed the wards"

"We didn't see it until today" Harry frowned "Why?"

"The spell to unmask Quirrell - so that the Michael's ward would pick him up - made it show up" Hermione replied "I don't know why we never thought of that before"

"We haven't had to deal with something like this since we died the first time" Harry suggested "And, up until now, no one has really struck us as being evil enough to check whether they are truly dark or not" He paused "Which - when you think about it - is pretty impressive going"

"Huh?"

"In twelve hundred years, we've only dealt with two souls dark enough to need to use the Michael's ward to find them" Harry said "Voldemort, and our old friend. For a country that supposedly produces dark lords at a rate of one every fifty to a hundred years or so, that's not bad going" Hermione smiled.

"So now that we know who he is, what are we going to do about him?" She asked, but before Harry could give her an answer, they realised that breakfast was starting to come to an end as most of the students were getting up and leaving.

"Perhaps we should talk about this later" He suggested, then picked up his book bag "Because now we have to go and sit in a class taught by the most evil man in recent history, and pretend he is just your average, run of the mill defence teacher"

"Sounds fun" Hermione said with a laugh.

xoxox

As the students streamed out of The Great Hall, Quirrell let his gaze wander over them - not stopping on any one for too long, but looking at each in turn as they walked out to their classes.

Something had changed, and although he wasn't entire sure what it was, he knew just enough to be slightly worried. It was as if the..... the taste of magic within the school had changed, ever so subtly, and it was starting to taste a little sour. 

He knew, given enough time, he would work out what it was, but he also knew that it was not certain he would have that time to think it through. 

Something had changed, and he was starting to think he should move his timetable up. 

He looked around The Great Hall again, but this time with a tiny feeling of regret. Teaching these brats had been a necessary evil at first, but he had started to enjoy it after a while. Seeing how long he could keep them fooled, working out which, if any, of them could be seduced into following him in the future.

But he had come to Hogwarts for one reason and one alone, and it was - he thought - well past time to do what he came here to do, then leave before anyone knew he had gone. 

Putting his knife and fork down on his plate, he stood up. 

Time to get to work.

xoxox

Over the next fortnight, Harry and Hermione split their time between pretending to be the school children that everybody thought they were and following Quirrell around the school.

"When I was younger....." Hermione paused "I mean, when Hermione was younger, my father got me interested in Bond films and other secret agent movies" She glanced down the corridor to see Quirrell coming round the corner, then she turned and faced Harry, pretending to be showing him something in the book she was holding "Which means that you can usually identify the spell by the colour, but also by the shape and.... well the substance of the spell"

"The substance?" Harry asked as Quirrell strode past them.

"Whether it is smokey, or a ball, or a bolt of light" Hermione explained "For example there is a difference between a red ball of light, and red smokey clo...... that was close" She exhaled "So what do we know?"

"He is spending far more time on the third floor than is strictly necessary for someone who doesn't have a classroom there" Harry replied "And he is casting a large number of detection spells when he is up there"

"Do you think he's going to make his move?" Hermione frowned slightly "Do you think he is on to us?"

"Yes" Harry nodded, then blinked "I mean - yes I think he is building up to something, but it could be that he was planning to try for it now anyway" He paused "Besides - don't you think that if he was on to us, he'd have done something about it" 

"Maybe he doesn't want to attract attention to himself" Hermione glanced down the corridor before turning back to him "The death of two students would definitely attract the attention of Dumbledore, if not The DMLE" She smiled at him "Especially if one of those students is The Boy Who Lived - tm" Harry couldn't help smiling.

"I hadn't thought of that" He admitted "So either he's on to us but doesn't want to draw attention to himself by killing us before he does what he came here for, or he isn't onto us at all and is going to do what he came here for" He paused "Which means either way we don't end up dead"

"Always good"

"I thought so" Harry beamed at her "And since we know the stone is at the bottom of your trunk......"

"Under a wealth of enchantments, some of which have been lost for centuries"

".....we can be fairly sure he's not going to get that either" Harry leaned back against the wall and smiled "We could try to set a trap for him" 

"I was thinking that as well" Hermione nodded "I mean - I have no doubt he can get through all the traps and trials that Dumbledore and the staff set up. Not to sound like I am praising him, but I think he is far smarter than all of them put together and won't have any problems in getting past them"

"Ditto"

"So what if we set up a trap at the end of the line - the room with the mirror - then we can destroy him there" Hermione paused "Except...... damn it" She sighed "We'd have to go through all the traps ourselves - again - in order to set up any type of ward or trap in that room"

"And if we do it again, there is a chance we'd be noticed - a chance he would notice and change his plans" Harry closed his eyes for a moment, then suddenly they flicked open "What if......." He pushed himself off the wall and started pacing back and forth, mumbling under his breath. Hermione watched him for a minute or so, then walked over and stood directly in front of him, forcing him to stop. 

"Use your words, Sal"

"We set up a trigger ward on the door to the hell-hound" He said "If anyone opens it, we'll know and - using the Michael's ward - we can tell if it's someone good or someone bad"

"Okay"

"Then - once we know he's on his way down, we apparate to the mirror chamber, and wait for him to come in" 

"You can't apparate in Hogwarts" Harry stared in amused surprise at Hermione's statement. For a moment or two she stared back at him, then her face turned light pink "Sorry - force of habit"

"Just as long as you aren't going crazy, dear" He reached out and patted her hand.

"Honestly - trying to keep all these lifetimes straight it's a wonder we're as sane as we are" She replied "But we should try testing our skills before we put them in to action, just in case these bodies aren't up to it"

"I'll put it on my list" Harry replied with a smirk "But anyway - once we are down there - whether by apparation, portkey or digging through the floor of the transfiguration classroom - we can confront him and blow him to kingdom come" 

"Now that sounds like a plan I can get behind" Hermione said squeezing his hand "Do you want to put the trigger ward on now, or wait for the weekend?"

"No time like the present" 

xoxox

Harry looked out over The Dark Lake, watching as Carradoc jetted slowly back and forth across the surface of the water. 

"I thought I'd find you here, love" He heard a soft, gentle voice from behind him, making him smile.

"Carradoc has existed since before the dawn of time" He replied as two brown arms slid round his waist "Just think of it - he has lived for thousands of years. He has seen civilisations rise and fall, empires flourish and die" He turned to find the face of his wife smiling fondly at him.

"You realise that when you get excited about something your entire face lights up?" Lucy asked "It is utterly adorable" Harry smiled, then gave her a soft kiss.

"To what do I owe the undeniable pleasure of your visit, my wife?" He asked. 

"You have to wake up" Lucy whispered in his ear. Harry stared at her, slightly confused.

"We are standing in one of the most romantic spots in Hogwarts, and I have the most beautiful woman in the world in my arms" He whispered "Why would I want to wake up from that?"

"Because someone has tripped the ward on the third floor and we have to apparate to the mirror room before he gets there" This time Harry shook his head, trying to make sense of what he was hearing.

"There isn't a room on the third floor" He replied "And who is this he......"

"HARRY!" 

xoxox

Harry shot bolt upright in bed, nearly cracking heads with Hermione in the process.

"You're not Lucy" Harry said, voice slightly raspy. 

"Bright as ever" Hermione replied "Now - put some clothes on. We can't go attempting to catch a Dark Lord if you are dressed in My Little Pony pyjamas" 

"I haven't worn My Little Pony PJs since I was five" Harry laughed "I wear Hello Kitty ones now"

"Then say goodbye kitty and come with me" Hermione said, getting to her feet "If we want to catch him in the room, then we need to apparate down there in the next ten minutes or so" 

"Okay, okay" Harry nodded, then he stared blankly at her "Could you turn around for a moment?" Hermione blinked once, then rolled her eyes.

"Fine" She did a dramatic spin to face away from him, then folded her arms. She heard a few rustling noises behind her, then smiled as Harry walked around in front of her. 

"I think we should apparate from the grand staircase" He said as they walked down the spiral staircase from the dorms "We set the wards up as strongest around the student sleeping areas, and if we were going to be detected anywhere, then here would be most likely"

"And the weakest around the open areas" Hermione nodded, then came to a halt "What do we tell her?" Harry glanced at the portrait. 

"She knows who we are - why not tell her the truth?" He suggested "You know that the portraits are more loyal to us than they are to the staff or to Dumbledore - I think if we ask her to keep our little adventure a secret, she will"

"If you're sure" She replied, then she pushed the portrait open and walked through it , turning to face The Fat Lady as Harry followed her through "Emmaline - we were never here"

"Yes, my Lady" The Fat Lady gave a deferential bow. 

"Thank you" Hermione smiled, then she took Harry's hand as they walked off down the corridor. 

xoxox

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Quirrell blasted the troll off its feet, then walked past the corpse and out of the next door before he heard it land. 

"Master - are you sure we should be so open about our progress?" He asked, then tilted his head to one side as the voice in his head answered "Yes, my master"

xoxox

"Woah....." Harry flung his arms out to his side, trying to regain his balance. He saw Hermione stumble and reached out to catch her.

"Wow I had forgotten how bad that can be as a child" She said, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath "And how much it makes me want to throw up"

"Shamala mil nutia" Harry said, pointing his wand at her midsection. The end of his wand glowed yellow for a few moments, then faded as Hermione opened her eyes.

"Thank you - a thousand times thank you" She exhaled "Remind me to remind you to cast that spell before we apparate out of here when we're done"

"If you remind me to remind you first" He replied, then he looked around the room they were in "You know when we thought about this there is possibly something we overlooked" 

"The lack of hiding places?" Hermione said, and he nodded "Quirrell will have to enter through that door - if we darken the light a little, then we could hide in the alcove on either side" She paused "And we can adjust the wards to hide us"

"If you're sure....." He said with a smile, then together they walked up to the door, then split up - Harry moving ot the left and Hermione to the right. 

xoxox

Quirrell stared at the row of potions floating in front of him, then allowed himself one soft smile.

"If Dumbledore were truly serious about stopping me, he would make sure this puzzle has no solution" He whispered "But that does not sound like the high and mighty Headmaster I know - the vanquisher of Grindelwald who locked his defeated foe in a tower instead of giving him the justice he deserved. The man who hands out second chances like Miss Bolton used to hand out sweets would never leave someone trapped here to die...." He scanned the parchment "No - at most, they would be stunned - held until the Aurors could arrive to take them away for a just and suitable punishment" He shook his head "Leader of The Light..... if only they knew"

He drew his wand and cast a series of detection spells. 

"Sleeping draughts and water" He laughed "Headmaster, you never fail to live down to my expectations" Putting his wand away, he reached out to take the bottle he needed "Something for which I will thank you properly" He opened the bottle and drank the contents in a single gulp. 

As the flames blocking his way died down, he drew his wand again.

"Show time"

xoxox

"Show time" Harry whispered as the door opened. 

xoxox

Quirrell strode into the room and down the stone steps leading to the mirror. He stood in front of it for a few moments, staring at the vision that it presented to him. 

"What is it that you see, my Lord?" A voice from behind him said "The world bowing before you? Dumbledore's head on a spike outside a school that belongs to you?" He resisted the urge to turn as he heard two sets of footsteps behind him "Not willing to share what your heart's desire is?" 

"To know your enemy's desire is to know his greatest weakness" Quirrell replied calmly "A weakness you could use to destroy me" He raised his wand then slowly turned round until he was facing Harry and Hermione "These are the champions Dumbledore sends to capture me? Two children?" He let out a cruel laugh "Perhaps finding your dead bodies strung up from the battlements will be the act that finally breaks him" 

"Dumbledore doesn't know we are here" Hermione said in an equally calm voice.

"Are you sure?" Quirrell asked "The Headmaster, for all his kind acts and grandfather like personality, has a far darker side than anyone realises"

"With devotion's visage and pious action we do sugar o'er the devil himself" Harry folded his arms "Trust me, my Lord, we are well aware of Dumbledore's true nature and of what he is capable, however as dark and as twisted as he is, he is nowhere near the threat that you are - and it is you with whom we have come to deal"

"You? You two have come to destroy me?" Quirrell looked them up and down "Are you aware who you are dealing with?"

"Someone who apparently hasn't learned not to end a sentence with a preposition" Hermione said sarcastically, making Harry snort in amusement.

"Perhaps it is time" An ethereal voice echoed through the room, making Harry and Hermione exchange glances "I wish to face them"

"Are you sure, my master?" Quirrell asked, seemingly addressing the question to no one.

"Do as I say" The voice turned hard "Do as I say or you will suffer my wrath"

"Yes, my master" Quirrell seemed to bow, then he turned his back on Harry and Hermione before starting to undo his turban. Hermione glanced over at her friend, but he simply shrugged. 

As Quirrell finished unwrapping the cloth around his head, he lowered it, revealing a misshapen face that stared intently at the two children.

"Harry Potter" The face appeared to smile - a cruel, twisted smile - as it examined the boy stood in front of him "Do you see what you have done to me? The mockery of life that you have forced me to live these past ten years?"

"My apologies, my Lord" Harry gave a slight nod "If I could have killed you outright, I would have - but if you hold still, I can finish the job I started the night you murdered The Potters" He drew his wand. 

"YOU DARE RAISE YOUR WAND TO ME?" The face contorted with rage, but suddenly the voice became quiet "You would draw your wand on Lord Voldemort - child of Merope, child of the great Marvolo Gaunt? You dare to challenge the last scion of the greatest of The Four Founders - the last descendent of Salazar Slytherin himself?" Voldemort fell silent as he realised the two children were no longer paying attention to him, but instead staring at each other in what appeared to be shock.

"You...... you are the child of Merope Gaunt and Thomas Riddle?" Hermione asked after a moments silence. 

"DO NOT MENTION THAT FILTHY MUGGLES NAME!!" Voldemort screamed at her "I AM A CHILD OF SALAZAR SLYTHERIN! I AM THE LAST SCION OF THE FOUNDERS OF HOGWARTS!"

"Salazar Slytherin died childless" Harry stared at the ground, speaking quietly, almost sadly "Killed less than a week after his wife was brutally murdered" 

"You lie!" Voldemort hissed. 

"I am telling you the truth, Lord Voldemort" Harry looked up "You can not be the last child of Salazar Slytherin, Greatest of The Four Founders"

"And why should I believe you, Harry Potter?" Voldemort asked dismissively. Harry took a deep breath, then stared Voldemort in the eye. 

"Because I was there" He said, and with another deep breath, he gave a mental shove and forced his way into Voldemort's mind.

xoxox

_(The Time of The Founders)_

"If we continue to allow the first born mages into the school, they will eventually destroy us" Godric Gryffindor addressed his fellow heads of Hogwarts "We must take a stand, and forbid them to come here any more. 

"It is too dangerous to leave them untrained and ignorant of their powers, Godric" Rowena Ravenclaw said from beside him "I know that you fear exposure of our world, but if we do not educate the first borns I believe there is a much greater risk of exposure from the accidental magic"

"Then we must ensure they never come into their magic" Godric slammed his fist on the desk "Or that any such bursts of accidental magic are dealt with before word can spread" Helga stared at him, a look of horror dawning on her face.

"You would kill all the first borns?" She asked in a near silent whisper. 

"To prevent the exposure of our world and the slaughter of our kind, I would" Godric nodded gravely "And if I am the only one with the courage and bravery to protect our civilisation, then so be it" He paused, then looked at the fourth member of their group "Salazar - surely you can see the sense in this plan? That we must do this, or risk the death of every mage in the country, perhaps the world?" Salazar stared back at him. 

"I understand that we have to do something - that the non-magical world is progressing faster than we are, and that with every year that passes we risk detection and exposure...." He paused "But the idea of wholesale slaughter...." He looked up his friend "Give me sometime to consider this"

"Of course" Godric nodded "But remember this - it is not just the future of the school, but of our world that you are considering. Keep that in mind when you make your choice" 

xoxox

Looking up from her book, Lucinda Slytherin smiled as she saw her husband's best friend enter their room. 

"Godric" She inclined her head politely "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Your husband has a decision to make - one that he is finding difficult" Godric replied "And I fear that he will be swayed by those who do not see the seriousness of the situation and that he will make the wrong choice" He paused, then smiled down at her "I wish to enlist your help in convincing him of which side he should be on"

"Anything to help my most beloved" Lucy replied, getting to her feet.

"I am glad to hear you say that" Godric replied, then - in a single, swift move - he drew his wand "CRUCIO!" 

xoxox

"Salazar......" Helga ran up to him as he walked toward The Great Hall "You should come with me.... quickly" 

xoxox

"Lucy, oh Lucy" He knelt next to the body of his wife, staring blankly at the clear signs of torture and injury "I swear I will find out who did this - and that they will pay"

xoxox

"Two first born students have confessed to killing her" Rowena said calmly "They did it in an attempt to steal her powers, and to start a revolution against those who would hold them back" Salazar stared back at her, not realising he was clenching his hand into a fist. 

"I want to talk to them" He said "I promise I will not hurt them, but I want to face them myself"

xoxox

"The wench had it coming" The first student stared back at Salazar defiantly "Thinking she was so much better than us. Thinking that she - and the rest of you - could lord it over us, just because you come from magic" Salazar moved his gaze to the second student. 

"And you? Do you think that my wife also 'had it coming'?" He asked. The second student nodded, but in a halfhearted manner. Salazar narrowed his eyes, then launched a blistering mental assault against the student's mind.

Less than a minute later, he staggered backwards, cutting off the attack and falling to his knees. 

"No...... not that....."

xoxox

Rowena and Helga sat opposite him, both staring in dejection at the table. 

"There is no way you could be wrong? Helga asked.

"I wish I was" He replied "But no - I am not wrong" He paused "Will you stand with me?"

"Always"

"And forever"

xoxox

"GODRIC GRYFFINDOR - STAND FORTH AND BE JUDGED" Salazar's bellow echoed loudly through The Great Hall as he, Rowena and Helga strode in - all with wands drawn. 

xoxox

_(Present)_

"The battle that followed left a trail of destruction through the school - you can still see some of the marks of that destruction today" Hermione said "Gryffindor was fighting for his life, and he didn't give it up easily" She paused "But eventually we drove him back and cornered him in The Greystoke Tower" 

xoxox

_(The Time of The Founders)_

"CRUCIO!" Helga's curse blew Godric off his feet, sending him crashing into the wall and collapsing on the floor. The other three Founders strode in, pointing their wands down at him.

"ACCIO WAND!" Rowena said, sending Godric's wand spinning away from him.

"REDUCTO!" Helga cried out, shattering Godric's left knee. 

"Ready to surrender, you faithless bastard?" Salazar walked up to him and knelt down in front of him, pushing his wand against Godric's neck. 

"You aren't going to let me live, Sally boy - not after I tortured your wife to death" Godric choked out. 

"REDUCTO!" Rowena shattered his other knee, making him scream.

"You can die quickly, Godric, or you can die very, very slowly" Salazar said calmly "But one way or the other - you are going to die"

"You can kill me if you want, Sally...."

"We intend to" Helga and Rowena said in unison.

".....but I promise - you will regret this day for the rest of your lives" Godric coughed, then he closed his eyes for a few moments, then opened them and stared Salazar in the eyes.

"For as long as my line endures, you will live your lives over and over - dying, yet never passing from this world. You will be born knowing your future - knowing that this torture will never end. For your crimes, I curse you" There were a few moments of silence, then Salazar pointed his wand at Godric's head. 

"Any last words, you traitorous bastard?" 

"Oh yes" Godric smiled "Kaboom"

xoxox

_(The Present)_

Harry ceased his mental attack and withdrew from Voldemort's mind. 

"The resulting explosion ripped apart the tower and the surrounding area of the school, killing all four Founders and nearly fifty students" Hermione said quietly. 

"Helga and Rowena never had children, and Godric Gryffindor murdered my wife before we could conceive" He said in a calm voice "The only one of The Founders who had children was Godric - two sons and a daughter"

"After the truth of what he did got out, his two sons started a campaign to rewrite history - to make it sound like Salazar had the problem with muggle-borns, and ensure that Godric went down in history as a hero who was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect the integrity of the wizarding world" Hermione paused "But his daughter changed her name and disappeared into obscurity, wanting to escape from her family's new found fame"

"Her new name? Annabelle Finlandia Gaunt" Harry finished. 

"Which, by the way, makes you the person we have been looking for for the past thirty years" Hermione drew her wand, an action mirrored by Harry "Because killing you will end our suffering" Voldemort stared back at them, then his face twisted into a cruel smile.

"Then - in the spirit of my glorious ancestor - I wish you well for your next lives!" He cackled "Quirrell - kill them both"

"Yes, my Lord!" Quirrell turned round, but before he could draw his wand, both Harry and Hermione cast killing curses, sending Quirrell flying across the chamber and into The Mirror of Erised, shattering it into thousands of pieces. The two children walked to stand over his body, then both took a few steps back as a black mist floated up from the corpse and hovered in the air where it formed the image of a face. 

"You may think you have won, but I have travelled further down the path of immortality than any wizard in history - you will not find it so easy to kill me" The smoke whispered, then it flew up through the ceiling and vanished. Harry and Hermione stared at the point it disappeared, then looked at each other.

"So - that went well"


	10. Summer's Son

"Mum? There's an owl in the garden" 

Petunia looked away from Going Live at the sound of Dudley's voice, then turned and looked out of the window. 

"Huh" She stared at the bird perched on top of the wishing well they had in the front garden, then she stood up and walked out into the hall. Dudley heard the front door open, then a minute or so later heard it close again as his mother came back in. He glanced out of the window and saw that the owl had gone, then looked back as his mother came into the lounge. 

"What is it?" He asked.

"A letter from Hogwarts" She said, holding up the envelope "Addressed to me"

"Wow" Dudley stared at it "So what does it say?" Petunia opened it up and began to read it. A moment later, she walked over to the door. 

"Love? I think you'd better come in here" She called out to her husband without looking up from the parchment in her hand. She continued to read through it, only glancing at Vernon when he walked into the front room through the door from the hall.

"What's up, pet?" He asked, coming to stand next to her. 

"Hogwarts is closing early" She said, handing the parchment over to him. She fell silent as he scanned it, then looked back at her.

"Is this normal?" He asked "I mean - did this happen when Lily was there?" 

"Not that I remember" She paused, then shrugged "But that was a while back, and she was only there for seven years" She glanced back at the letter, biting her lip.

"Love?"

"It was only seven years, but it was seven years during the war" Her voice became serious "They kept the school open for all seven years despite the fact a war was going on" She gestured at the piece of parchment in his hand "If they are closing down the school six or seven weeks early, then something must have gone badly wrong" She paused "They want the kids out of there now, Vernon - so whatever it is, it has to be pretty serious"

xoxox

"Did Albus give you any idea as to what is going on?" Molly stared across the dining table at her husband "I can't ever remember Hogwarts closing its doors early - not even during the war against You Know Who" 

"I haven't been able to speak to him, love" Arthur said with a shrug "I saw him briefly at The Ministry when he came to inform Fudge of the closure, but he didn't stop to talk to anyone" 

"Well the twins and Ronald will be home on Monday" Molly leaned back in her chair "Will you be able to come with me to meet them at King's Cross?" 

"I should be at work......" Arthur started, but trailed off at the look in his wife's eyes "On the other hand I suspect that a lot of other staff at The Ministry will be in the same situation, so perhaps Minister Fudge will be more..... flexible" 

xoxox

Harry and Hermione walked into The Great Hall on the Saturday evening, then sat down at the end of the Gryffindor table. Hermione glanced around, then waved her hand, casting a silent spell. 

"So" She said casually "Do you think we should have torched his body?"

"It's possible" Harry admitted "But if we had the power to turn back time, I am sure there are better things we could do than go back and cremate that poor man" 

"True" She dumped some food on her plate "Killing Godric before he became a lunatic would probably be top of the list, but I think not visiting Voltera would probably rate pretty highly too" She paused "On the upside, we get seven bonus weeks of holiday" 

"I've been thinking about that" Harry glanced at her plate, then reached out and snagged a sausage from it "Lucy's family home is still fully warded and no one else knows it's there - just the three of us" He paused "I'm going to make arrangements with my dear Aunt and Uncle, then move into Charter's Manor for the rest of the summer. If we're going to find your wife before September, it will be the best place to do it"

"I'll link up my fireplace to it" Hermione nodded "My parents want to do our usual summer holiday thing - two weeks in Venice this year - and I don't feel I can say no. I mean - even though they know I am someone else, I am still their daughter and - if we do fix this before we pass beyond - I want Hermione to have the memories she should have"

"You realise when you talk about yourself in the third person, you start to freak me out" He said with a grin.

"I know" She laughed "Why do you think I do it?" She looked around, then - with a quick glance at him - waved her hand to cancel the spell before turning to the newcomer.

"Good evening Professor Dumbledore" She smiled "How are you this evening?"

"I am quite well, given the circumstances" Dumbledore replied "Mr Potter - I wanted to confirm your family was picking you up at Platform 9 3/4. I realise that the early closure of the school could be a problem for them and want to know if other arrangements need to be made?"

"My guardians will be there, Headmaster" Harry said in a cold voice "And while it does mean I will be left alone at home two or three days a week - at least until Dudley finishes school - they have no problem with the arrangements" He paused "They did tell me that there was no explanation as to why Hogwarts was closing though"

"I thought it best that - given your family's..... feelings about magic, it might not be the best course of action" Dumbledore said with a grandfatherly smile.

"You're probably right" Harry replied thoughtfully "I mean - if they knew there was a chance I could've been brutally murdered and didn't take it...... they would be very upset" Hermione snorted in amusement, while Dumbledore frowned. 

"Your family loves you, Harry...."

"Headmaster....." Harry took a deep breath, then shook his head "Never mind - you aren't going to believe me no matter what I say so why should I bother wasting my breath"

"I understand The Ministry is sending a team to investigate Professor Quirrell's death" Hermione said "Have you learned anything more, Headmaster?"

"No, Miss Granger - the cause of death remains a mystery, as does the reason why Professor Quirrell would have been in the place he died" Dumbledore paused "Mr Potter - you are sure your family....."

"My guardians will be there, Headmaster" Harry frowned.

"Very well. Good evening" He gave a polite nod then walked off up The Hall towards the staff table. Harry's eyes followed him for a moment, then he turned back to Hermione. She waved her hand again, then nodded.

"Does he suspect?" He asked.

"No" She shook her head "He really has no idea who killed Quirrell. He also thinks that the stone was lost when the mirror was smashed" She paused, a flash of anger on her face "He didn't care that a priceless magical artefact had been destroyed! The Mirror of Erised has existed since before the dawn of history - before The Ministry, before Hogwarts, before The Ancients. One of The Seven Magical Mirrors has been lost forever and all he cares about it that his trap failed and that his test for you failed" She took a deep breath, then let it out. 

"Sorry" She said, then took another deep breath "I know I said I wanted to deal with him, and I still do, but I don't want him dead any more" She paused "I want him to lose his power, his influence, his positions - everything he holds dear. I want him to die cold, alone and miserable - I want his name to be forgotten, or to be synonymous with failure and idiocy" She smiled "Can we do that?"

"Yes, my sweet, that we can do" Harry smiled back at her "So - you are going to Venice?"

xoxox

"Minerva - when Director Bones and her team arrive, I would like you to escort them to the chamber where Quirrell's body was found" Dumbledore said as he sat down next to his deputy "Let them do whatever they want - answer their questions to the best of your ability - then send them on their way"

"Yes, Albus" McGonagall nodded "What if they want to speak to other members of staff? Or to you?"

"I am going to be away from the school - I have business to attend to" He replied calmly "And if you could ensure the other staff are available to talk to I would appreciate it. Make it clear to Director Bones and whoever she brings with her that any teachers who are still teaching OWL and NEWT level classes can not be questioned until the classes are over, but that everyone else will be at her disposal"

"Of course, Albus" She nodded again "Although the Director might not be happy that you are not here"

"She will have to learn to deal with disappointment" Dumbledore said dismissively "My business can not be postponed and will take some time" He paused "I will be leaving after the students depart on Monday, and will not return for about a month or so"

"I will ensure Hogwarts continues to operate in your absence" McGonagall replied with a smile. 

xoxox

Two days later, Harry helped Hermione with her trunk as they disembarked from The Express. Leaving it on the platform, they both went back onto the train and then returned a moment later with Harry's trunk. 

"If they'd just put wheels on these, it would be so much easier to move them" Harry commented as they looked around for a trolley. 

"Wheels on a trunk?" Fred said from behind them.

"What kind of crazy talk is that?" George said from next to his twin. 

"Muggles have had suitcases on wheels for ages" Harry said, then he picked up one end up the trunk and tilted it at forty-five degrees "If this had wheels, I could pull it along" He pretended to tug on it "It would save having to get a trolley for each of the trunks - your family need what? Five trolleys?"

"Four now, but five when our little sister starts next year" Harry and Hermione exchanged quick glances, but then looked back at the twins.

"Imagine how much easier it would be if you could each pull your own trunk, instead of finding that many trolleys?" Hermione asked them. The twins looked at each other, then back at the two friends.

"Huh" Fred said "That's... interesting" He paused, then drew his want "Can I try something?"

"Why not?" Hermione shrugged.

"Ferramatro" Fred waved his wand, and suddenly Hermione's trunk shuddered, then sprouted two wheels. She looked at it, then took hold of the handle and tilted it back. She tugged it and it moved forward.

"That's pretty cool" She said with a smile "Can you do Harry's?"

"Ferramatro" George copied his twin's actions, and a moment later two wheels appeared on the bottom of Harry's trunk as well "The spell will only last a few hours - probably enough for you to get home - but then the wheels will vanish" He paused "We'll do some research over the summer and see if we can make it permanent"

"If you can, you might be able to make a little money" Hermione pointed out "A galleon to change your trunk in to a wheelie trunk for the rest of the time at school seems like a good price"

"Not for us" Harry pointed out "Since we gave you the idea, we get it half price" 

"Of course" Hermione nodded. The twins exchanged another glance, then nodded.

"If we get it working, we'll do it for free for our partners in crime" George said, then looked down the platform "Oh - mum's here!" Harry and Hermione followed his gaze and saw Molly stood at the end of Platform 9 3/4.

"Does she know why you're coming home early?" Harry asked quietly. 

"I don't think so, no" Fred shook his head "Dumbledore hasn't exactly been spreading the news"

"You'd almost think he doesn't want people to know there was a brutal murder at Hogwarts" Hermione commented casually "As if he is afraid people would start to think he isn't up to running the school just because one of the teachers was found dead" She paused "But surely no one would think that" Fred and George stared at her, then looked down the platform again.

"We should go" Fred said "We'll let you know how it goes with the wheel spell" On impulse, he leaned over and gave Hermione a kiss on the cheek, then he and his brother bounded away down the platform, leaving Harry staring at a slightly pink Hermione.

"Well there's something I never thought I'd live to see" Harry couldn't help laughing.

"He caught me by surprise!" Hermione insisted, still blushing. Harry continued to laugh, then leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"Just wait until your wife finds out" He said quietly. She laughed and swiped at his arm. 

"Shush you" She said, still laughing. He grinned back, then looked around.

"I think your parents at here" He said, pointing to where a couple dressed in muggle clothing were stood, looking around nervously. Hermione followed his finger, then sprinted off down the platform. Harry stared at the two trunks, then down to where Hermione was energetically hugging the two adults. A moment later, all three came back down towards him. 

"Mum, Dad, this is Harry - he's the one I told you about" She said, putting a slight emphasis on the word "one".

"Mr Granger, Mrs Granger" Harry gave a polite nod "It's a pleasure to meet you" 

"Hermione's told us all about you.... Sly" Mrs Granger said "She's also taught us ways to ensure your secrets stay secret, so don't be mad at her"

"My aunt and uncle know all about me as well" Harry replied "The only reason they don't know about Hermione is I haven't written to them - we are keeping up the pretence of disliking each other" He paused "And if Hermione trusts you, I trust you too" 

"I'm honoured" Mrs Granger smiled, then looked at her daughter "Sorry to do this sweetie, but we have to be going - the traffic was a nightmare getting here and it will just be worse on the way back" Hermione nodded.

"Give me a moment?" Her parents returned the nod, then her father picked up her trunk and together they started walking back down the platform. Hermione turned back to Harry "When will you be home?"

"First thing tomorrow" Harry replied.

"I will connect things up tonight then, and I'll be waiting for you" She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek "See you then"

"See you then" He watched her go, then he spotted a trolley. Walking over, he grabbed it and pushed it back. Loading his trunk onto it, he started down the platform and made his way through the portal. 

"There you are" Petunia's voice radiated disapproval and annoyance "Do you think we have all day to wait around for you?"

"Sorry, Aunt Petunia" Harry hung his head.

"Do you want to explain why I have been forced to come into the city to pick you up six weeks early? To take time out of my busy schedule to drag your sorry carcass back home?" She asked in an angry voice. Harry looked around and - realising there were still a number of magical families around - he bit his lip.

"Didn't The Headmaster tell you in his letter?" He asked politely.

"No he bloody well didn't" Petunia snapped.

"Our..... fencing teacher - Professor Quirrell - was found dead in an abandoned chamber" Harry said, raising his voice slightly "He had been murdered, but no one knows how or by whom" He saw a few heads turn his way, then look away almost at once "I can't see why The Headmaster didn't want anyone to know - it's not like he could convince the government to cover it up" Petunia stared at him for a moment, then shook her head.

"Get that thing out to the car - we are already running late and I have to get home before your cousin gets out of school" She snapped.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia" 

xoxox

"Quirrell was really murdered?" Petunia asked as she drove Harry home "You weren't making that up?"

"Yes and no" Harry admitted, leaning back in his seat "It's been a long year, Aunty, and there's a lot to tell you, but the short version is Quirrell is.... was the one we were looking for - sort of" 

"The last scion?" She looked at him in surprise. 

"Again - kind of" Harry laughed, then his smile faded "Voldemort didn't die on the night he killed your sister and her husband. I don't quite know how or why, but he has become a.... a wraith of some sort. He was possessing Quirrell - using him to try to get his hands on a source of power that would allow him to return to a body" He paused "And - in one of those coincidences that makes me think that there is some kind of divine being, and that she has a wicked sense of humour - Voldemort is the last scion. He is the one we have been looking for - the one we have to kill to break the curse"

"Wow" Petunia exhaled "So you killed him?"

"I found Helga - she's another first year named Hermione Granger - and together we found out that Dumbledore was keeping The Philosopher's Stone at Hogwarts. It's...... well - without getting into the details, it's the power source that would let Voldemort get his body back. We got to it before Quirrell - Hermione took it home with her - and then we decided to lay in wait for him. Once we realised who he was....." He trailed off.

"You killed him" She said.

"We tried. We hit him with two killing curses, but however he avoided death on the night that Godric's Hollow fell, he avoided death again when Quirrell died" Harry paused "But don't worry - we're going to find him, and we're going to kill him" He stared out of the window for a few minutes "Speaking of which - I have a deal for you" 

"Oh yes?"

"I'm going to spend most of the summer at my wife's family home. It has a lot more resources there - I need to find Rowena, and we need to find Voldemort, find a way to make him corporeal and mortal and then kill the hell out of him" He paused "I can set up a series of spells to make it look like I am there, but I'll need you to alert me if anyone comes sniffing around. I think the woman up the street - Mrs Figg - is one of Dumbledore's agents, so keep an eye on her"

"Okay" Petunia nodded "The helpers have worked all year - if you could recharge them for the summer, I'd be grateful"

"Consider it done" He smiled "I'll do it while I set up the spells - I should be gone by lunch time tomorrow"

xoxox

The next afternoon Harry stood in front of the fireplace at his Aunt's house, staring in to the flames.

"Aren't you going?" Petunia asked from behind him. 

"Just.... preparing myself" He said without turning round "I haven't been back to The Manor House in nearly..... thirty years" He paused "We spent eight five years there together - going there reminds me of everything I've lost, everything that I am fighting for" 

"Then why do it?" She asked sympathetically. 

"Because while you have a lovely house, it doesn't have what I need to find Voldemort or to find Rowena - and if I try to turn your house into what I need, Dumbledore, or someone in The Ministry, will notice and will come calling and then......" He trailed off "We've survived this long by operating in secret. If The Ministry - or Merlin help us Dumbledore - found out who we three are then our lives would be over. We would literally have to kill ourselves to escape their clutches" 

"Well - if your choice is going to The Manor or killing yourself......" Petunia trailed off "Do you want me to come with you?" Harry turned round.

"Thank you, but no" He walked over and hugged her "This is something I have to do by myself" He gave her a kiss on the cheek "I need you to stay silent for a few moments - I have to say the name, then a passphrase"

"Okay" She nodded. He turned round, then stared at the flames.

"Lucy's Fortress of Solitude" He said quietly, and the orange flames turned blue "Take me up the north mountain" As he finished, the blue flames turned green. Harry looked over his shoulder at his Aunt.

"I will see you when I see you" He said, then stepped into the flames.

xoxox

Hermione watched in silence as Harry emerged from the fireplace at Charter's House. She had visited Lucy and Salazar's home a few times before, and she and Rowena had a lot of happy memories, but she knew that the emotional ties she had to Charter's were nothing compared to what Harry must be feeling - coming back to the place where he and Lucy had planned to start a family and raise their children. 

He stood in silence for a long moment, head bowed and eyes closed. Hermione watched, remaining equally silent, then she slowly walked over to him and slipped her arms around him. 

"We'll find her, my Lord" She said quietly "We'll find her, and then the three of us will hunt him down and kill him"

"It won't bring her back" 

"But it will allow you to join her - the four of us will live together, forever, in eternity" She continued "You and she will never be parted again" 

"Promise?"

"Promise"

"Very well" Harry took a deep breath "So - what's next?" Hermione straightened up, letting go of her friend, then walked over and sat down in one of the chairs. 

"Well - we can either spend the next few months looking for my wife, or we can spend them looking for the spirit of the last scion, and trying to work out why he didn't die when we killed Quirrell" She said, staring up at him with her hands resting on her lap. 

"I would ask your preference, but I can probably take a guess" He smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"While finding Rowena would be nice, I think we will do that eventually anyway - if history has taught us anything......"

"Which sometimes I doubt" Harry remarked.

"......it is that we always find each other" She paused "So I think we should concentrate on finding out where the wraith went, and how it managed to avoid going down to the hell it so richly deserved" 

"You sure?" He asked.

"I'm sure" She nodded. 

"Okay then" He clapped his hands together, then frowned "So - where do we start?"

xoxox

"Daddy? Is this headline true?"

"Yes, my little snorkack" He looked down at his daughter, who was reading the paper he had published earlier that day.

"Professor Quirrell was really killed because he was possessed by a dark fairy that wanted to eat the souls of children?"

"Would I lie to you, my dear?" He leaned down and kissed the top of her head "Now, my love, I have to go to work. I will be back later"

"Yes, Daddy" She looked up at him with a bright smile "Have fun"

"Yes dear" He grinned back, then turned and walked out of the kitchen. As soon as he was gone, she looked back down at the paper, then moved it aside to reveal a long list of names.

"Okay" She said to herself, her voice serious "Time to get to work"


	11. Back To School

_Two Months Later ___

__"HARRY!" Hermione bounded down Diagon Alley, skidding to a halt in front of her friend before throwing her arms around him and giving him a big hug "I've missed you"_ _

__"Me too, Hermione" He slipped his arms around her, pulling her against him "How was your summer?"_ _

__"Oh - the usual" Hermione shrugged as they both straightened up "Read, played, watched a bit of television, went to Venice and the like" She paused "You?"_ _

__"The usual" He smiled back "Dodging punches, running away from harm, hiding in bushes" He saw the look on her face then shook his head "Don't worry about it, sweetie - it's what I grew up with and I am more than used to it" He looked around, then lowered his voice to near silent "Any sign?"_ _

__"Not so far" She gave a very subtle shake of her head "We could be wrong - she could be in our year and we just haven't found her"_ _

__"I don't think so" Harry replied quietly "We know she died after I did, and unless Crabbe is hiding a very big secret, no one else in our year has a qualifying birthday"_ _

__"They could have faked it to avoid suspicion" Hermione pointed out, but before Harry could reply, she shook her head with a smile "I know - suspicion from whom. No one even knows we exist, let alone know we are" She sighed "So you really think she will be here?"_ _

__"Most students come here before starting school - especially first years" Harry looked around again "Since we are here, I suppose we could do some shopping - kill some time while we look for her" He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his Hogwarts' letter "You brought yours?" She rolled her eyes and pulled a similar parchment out of the rucksack she carried over her shoulder "Look who I am talking to"_ _

__xoxox_ _

__The elf looked out from the shadow of Knockturn Alley, eyes raking up and down the street for his target. His master had given him very little time to collect the packages and he knew he would run out very soon._ _

__The wall to muggle London opened up again, but he could see it wasn't the boy already. A young girl with blonde hair and expressive eyes accompanied by a man who - even in the elf's eyes - was dressed very strangely walked into the Alley. The wall closed up behind them and the elf - concentrating on looking for The Boy Who Lived - didn't give them a second glance as he went back to scanning the alley for his target._ _

__xoxox_ _

__"Potions, Charms, Transfiguration" Hermione ticked off her list "I think if we get Herbology next, then Astronomy"_ _

__"What about Defence?" Harry asked with a smirk. Hermione turned to stare at him, but before she could respond, they heard a voice behind them._ _

__"My father says Gilderoy Lockhart is a glamoursite" The sing-song voice said as they turned around "He has many faces..... or he is many people at once" The blonde girl stood in front of them smiled "The original definition was never very clear in the texts"_ _

__"I would imagine" Harry said, returning the smile "I'm......"_ _

__"Harry Potter" The girl interrupted him, then blushed slightly "Sorry - you were going to tell me your name"_ _

__"As if there is a witch or wizard who doesn't know it" Hermione said with a smirk._ _

__"I don't know it" The girl shook her head "I have no clue who the boy with the lightening scar and green eyes is - he could be anyone. Anyone at all" She looked back at them with such an innocent smile that they both couldn't help laughing._ _

__"Well - in that case....." Hermione looked at Harry for a moment, then back the girl "I am Hermione Jane Granger, muggle born witch and this is Harry James Potter, son of James and Lily and the world famous Boy Who Lived (tm)" The girl stared at them for a moment, with a soft smile on her face, then held out her hand._ _

__"Luna Gail Lovegood" She said to Harry "It is truly a pleasure to meet you" Harry took a step forward, then slowly gave a polite bow, bending his neck until his lips brushed the back of her hand._ _

__"And it is a pleasure to meet you......" He began as he straightened up, but trailed off as he realised he was staring into an entirely different face than he had been just seconds before ".....my lady" He glanced over at Hermione, but decided that this probably wasn't the best place for Helga to have a long awaited reunion with her wife._ _

__"My Lord" Luna inclined her head for a moment, then glanced at Hermione with a questioning look. Harry gave a subtle nod, then smiled as the younger girl's eyes lit up._ _

__"Are you starting Hogwarts this year?" Hermione asked calmly. Luna beamed at her again, then nodded._ _

__"Daddy brought me to purchase my items and get my wand" She said, still smiling "Although whether I am going to buy books from a glamoursite or not is still something we haven't decided yet" She paused "I am not sure if we should learn what he might have to teach us"_ _

__"You think Lockhart could be dangerous?" Hermione raised a questioning eyebrow "That he isn't what he seems?"_ _

__"Is anyone truly who they appear to be, Miss Granger?" Luna asked slyly, then she shook her head "But if you will forgive me, Daddy is waiting and I have to go" She gave them both a polite nod then turned and bounded off towards a man whose clothes made Hermione's eyes start to water._ _

__"So that was Luna Lovegood" She said as Luna and her father walked off towards the apothecary "Interesting girl"_ _

__"Oh yes" Harry couldn't help grinning. He glanced around, then leaned over and whispered something in Hermione's ear. She turned to stare at him._ _

__"Really?" She asked, her voice shaking._ _

__"I didn't want to tell you because I thought you should have a few moments to compose yourself" He replied apologetically. Hermione turned and stared down the alley for a few seconds, then looked back at him._ _

__"No, no - you were right" She let out a long, slow breath "We will probably see her before we leave the alley, and at least I won't be caught by surprise" She paused, then looked towards the bookshop "Do you think she's right about Lockhart being a glammoursite?"_ _

__"When has she ever been wrong?" Harry replied. Hermione smiled._ _

__"Maybe we give the bookshop a miss for today" She said, then looked around the alley again "So - want some ice-cream?"_ _

__"You know what? I think I do"_ _

__xoxox_ _

__"Did you make some new friends, sugar-plum?" Her father asked as Luna and he walked into the apothecary._ _

__"Yes, Daddy, I did" She paused before lowering her voice "It was them, Xeno. After all this time, it was them" Her father stared down at her._ _

__"You are sure?"_ _

__"I shook his hand - he changed, just like always" She replied, excitement tinging her voice. She started bouncing up and down on her heels "It was him, Daddy" She paused "The girl who was with him - I think her name was Jane - he indicated that it was her"_ _

__"Oh sweetie, I'm so happy for you" He leaned down and pulled her in to a hug "Do you want to go and find them?"_ _

__"Not just yet" She shook her head, letting herself calm down "I will let them sort themselves out, and I will get sorted out, then I will go and find them - find her" She paused "Plus we only just met today. If we are going to have our big romantic reunion, we probably shouldn't do it in the most public street in the country on the busiest day of the year"_ _

__"That is true, my dearest little snorkack" He said softly, then straightened up "So we finish our shopping then we go and meet them?"_ _

__"Yes please"_ _

__xoxox_ _

__"Mmmmmmm" Hermione leaned back in her chair, lowering her spoon into the bowl "I know my parents love me, and that they are only looking out for my best interests - and my teeth - but I am so very, very glad that they are not here right now"_ _

__"I don't think Aunty and Uncle Dearest would care if I ate enough to make myself sick" Harry said, dropping his spoon with a loud clang "Which I am not going to, just to set your mind at rest"_ _

__"Something for which I am most grateful" Hermione smiled at him, then looked around the alley again._ _

__"Sixty six" Harry said under his breath, then smirked when Hermione grinned at him "She will find you when she finds you"_ _

__"I know, I know" Hermione closed her eyes and let out a long slow breath "But knowing she is this close - that she is within touching distance - and that we still can't be together....." She shook her head "It's a little frustrating"_ _

__"I understand, sweetie, I really do" He patted her hand sympathetically "And I promise it won't be much longer - she is just as excited to see you as you are to see her"_ _

__"I know" She smiled at him "It's just....."_ _

__"Harry Potter" The voice was so quiet and high-pitched they almost missed it, but they both turned to see a short figure hiding in the shadows of the corner of the ice-cream shop "Harry Potter, I need to talk to you, Harry Potter sir" Harry and Hermione exchanged glances, then Harry stood up and walked over to the corner. The figure - a short, squat creature - vanished further into the shadows, then stopped and looked over its shoulder._ _

__"I need to talk to you, sir" It said. Harry glanced back at Hermione, then followed the creature into the darkest recess of the alley. The figure stopped, looked around, then turned to face Harry._ _

__"Who are you? And what do you want?" Harry asked, lowering his hand to rest it on his wand._ _

__"Harry Potter sir, you are in great danger" The figure said "I am being Dobby, a house-elf, and I am here to be telling you that there is a plot to kill you"_ _

__"There's a plot to kill me? Must be Tuesday" Harry said with a smirk._ _

__"You must not be returning to Hogwarts!" Dobby said insistently "You can't be returning or you will be killed and the school will be being in danger!" Harry looked around then knelt down, lowered his voice and released some of the glamour he usually held around himself._ _

__"Dobby - I have nothing to fear when I am at the school I founded" He said. Dobby stared at him, then dropped to his knees, a look of rapture on his face._ _

__"My Lord Slytherin" He said in an awe-filled voice._ _

__"Nothing can harm me in my school, Dobby. Not me, nor my fellow Founders. But we have to return to find the one that cursed us" He paused, then he pointed his hand at Dobby and gave Dobby some of his power "Can you tell me anything else?"_ _

__"My master has provided a dark object to a child to release a monster" Dobby said quickly "The monster will separate the pure from the wicked and burn the wicked down" Harry stared at him, then gave a brief nod._ _

__"Anything else?"_ _

__"My master doesn't know I am here - I have to be back soon or he will know I have done something bad" Dobby paused "That's all I know"_ _

__"Then go - return to your master" Harry paused "But if you need me, or if you ever want to be free, then find me again and I will make it happen"_ _

__"Thank you, my Lord" Dobby bowed, then - with a final look around - vanished. Harry stared at the spot for a moment longer before turning round and walking back to sit down next to Hermione again._ _

__"So what did.... he? want" She asked._ _

__"Apparently someone wants to kill me" Harry said. Hermione stared at him for a moment._ _

__"Must be Tuesday"_ _

__xoxox_ _

__"Curiouser and curiouser" Ollivander looked down at Luna "This is a combination I have never seen before"_ _

__"You'd be surprised how often I hear that, Mr Ollivander" Luna replied "What combination did I get?"_ _

__"Unicorn hair and burnt black ash" Ollivander frowned slightly "It is..... peculiar"_ _

__"Another word that my daughter seems to attract" Xeno said with a slight smirk, making Luna grin._ _

__"The unicorn hair, as you would expect, is a symbol of purity - THE symbol of purity. Good for charms work, for transfiguration and good for defence" The wandmaker paused "But burnt black ash is generally considered a symbol of the darkest magic. To put the two together is something I have never seen before"_ _

__"Tell me something, Mr Ollivander" Xeno took a step forward, folding his arms in front of his chest "Now that you have seen it, do you feel the need to tell anyone about it? Other than my daughter and me, I mean?"_ _

__"Why would you think....."_ _

__"I am just curious, Mr Ollivander" Xeno continued to stare at him impassively "Because I take my daughter's privacy very seriously, and would not want to think anyone was going to start talking about her behind her back"_ _

__"I promise you that I will not speak of this to anyone, Mr Lovegood, Miss Lovegood" Ollivander said, then looked down at Luna "Enjoy your wand, Miss Lovegood - and while I realise this warning might be somewhat superfluous, please be careful. Your wand might be unusual, but it is also powerful and potentially very dangerous"_ _

__"Mr Ollivander......" Luna started, then trailed off and shrugged "Thank you - I will take your warning in the spirit in which it is intended" She gave him a polite nod, then she and her father turned and left the shop._ _

__"And now, I think it is time for me to get a drink" Xeno said with a smile._ _

__"And I am going to find my once and future wife" Luna smiled back at him "I will find you later?"_ _

__"Of course" He leaned over and kissed the top of her head "Take care, my little one - and be well"_ _

__"I am about to find my friends" She replied "What could be wrong"_ _

__xoxox_ _

__"Someone is going to release a monster into the school to purge the righteous from the wicked?" Hermione frowned "Someone put a monster in our school?"_ _

__"The elf said pure, not righteous, suggesting the person in control is a pureblood" Harry said thoughtfully "And whoever put this monster in our school did it after we left - I realise that we are both getting old, but I am fairly sure I would have remembered if one of us had brought a man eating creature into the castle"_ _

__"We didn't, just to put your mind at ease" Hermione smiled, but her smile soon faded "However if there is a monster in our castle........"_ _

__"Then why did we not notice it last year?" Harry leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table "Wouldn't the Michaels ward have picked it up?"_ _

__"Would we have noticed if it did?" Hermione sighed "We were concentrating on the thrice-damned scion" She paused "And what if..... what if the creature had been there for a while?" Suddenly her eyes went wide "What if it wasn't one of us who brought it in?"_ _

__"Him?" Harry exclaimed loudly, then - when he realised a few people were staring at him, he lowered his voice and repeated himself "HE brought it in?"_ _

__"It's possible" Hermione suggested "I mean - you had Lucy, I had Rowena. Godric was on his own most of the time - who knows what he was doing in that Chamber of his" She paused "The mind boggles in quite a few unpleasant ways" After a moment, she shook her head "Anyway - we have a monster to fight?"_ _

__"Apparently" Harry shrugged, then smiled "But on the upside we have found the final member of our trio and the brains of the outfit will be restored to her proper place"_ _

__"Are you suggesting, Mr Potter, that I am NOT the smart one?" Hermione asked, glaring at him. He stared back at her, then caught sight of something over her shoulder._ _

__"Yes" He replied. She continued to glare at him for a moment until she realised he wasn't paying any attention to her, but instead staring straight past her. She turned, and a huge smile broke over her face._ _

__"Miss Lovegood - a pleasure to see you again" Harry said as Luna walked up to them "Would you care to join us?"_ _

__"You don't mind?" Luna asked politely "You barely know me"_ _

__"And how will we ever change that if we don't invite you to join us?" Hermione said, standing up and pulling out a chair. Luna smiled._ _

__"I hadn't thought about it that way" She tilted her head to one side, then slowly stretched out her hand and lowered it until it rested upon Hermione's. Both girls stared at each others hands, then looked up until their eyes met._ _

__"I will go and get you a bowl of ice-cream" Harry said, getting to his feet and walking into the shop. He asked the young woman behind the counter for three more bowls, then turned back to stare out of the window as he waited - smiling as he noticed his two friends hadn't moved from the position he had left them in, still staring into each other's eyes._ _

__"Here you go young man....." The lady behind the counter said, trailing off as she caught sight of his scar._ _

__"That's right - it's me" He gave her a grin "What do I owe you?"_ _

__"One galleon, 1 knut please" She said quietly, then shook her head "Sorry - I just wasn't expecting Har....."_ _

__"Please - call me Tom" Harry said quickly "I'd rather not...."_ _

__"Of course" She nodded, blushing slightly. He smiled, then handed over the money, then stared at the bowls._ _

__"I don't suppose you have a tray?"_ _

__xoxox_ _

__"Hem hem" Harry gave a slight cough as he walked back to the table. Hermione and Luna looked round, and both girls smiled "Sorry to intrude, my friends, but I took as along as I could"_ _

__"A man with ice-cream is always welcome at any table" Luna said._ _

__"I like a woman with priorities" Harry grinned, then he put the tray down and handed out the bowls before sitting down himself "So - you are up to date?"_ _

__"Yes, thank you" Luna nodded, then she picked up her spoon and dug into her ice-cream hungrily before letting out a moan of pleasure "My father knows I am coming home with you and is expecting me back tomorrow" She paused "So what's this about a monster that is going to eat the mudbloods?"_ _

__xoxox_ _

__"Are you sure our son will be alright, Lucius?" Narcissa stared at her husband intently "He will not suffer or be in any danger?"_ _

__"The creature will only attack the mudbloods, my love - those who are worthy and pure will be in no danger at all" He replied soothingly "Draco will be in no danger - no danger at all"_ _

__"You can promise me that, my sweet?" She said urgently._ _

__"I promise" Lucius stood up, walked over to her and rested his hand on her shoulder "Nothing will happen to him"_ _

__xoxox_ _

__Forty minutes later, Harry, Hermione and Luna all flooed into Charter's House._ _

__"Just as I remember" Luna said, looking around, then she looked over at Harry "How are you doing?"_ _

__"I am fine, but thank you for asking Ni" He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek "I've been here most of the summer, so I have got used to it again" He paused "We've been trying to locate where his spirit might have gone after we banished it, but now......"_ _

__"Now we have this House Elf's warning to deal with" Luna nodded "Any idea who he belongs to? Who this 'master' is that's set the monster loose?"_ _

__"No clue" Hermione shook her head "The Ministry doesn't keep records any more - not since the war against Grindelwald - so we can't go via that route"_ _

__"The House-Elves at Hogwarts seem to hold us in some regard" Harry suggested "Perhaps when we return to school, we could ask them to find out?" The two girls exchanged glances, then looked back and nodded._ _

__"Meanwhile we can start adjusting the wards to try to locate this monster" Harry continued "If we know what we are up against......"_ _

__xoxox_ _

__The next morning, Harry returned to Privet Drive._ _

__"Has anyone been looking for me?" He asked as he stepped out of the fireplace to find Petunia waiting for him._ _

__"No" His aunt shook her head "At least - no one has been knocking on the door to find out why you haven't been in and out of the house" She paused "The helpers you set up have detected various witches and wizards coming and going, so clearly they have been keeping watch to make sure no one else has come to see you, but no one has come here"_ _

__"I haven't left the house in over a month, and no one has come to ask you why?" Harry stared at her in disbelief "Doesn't that strike you as...... strange?"_ _

__"You can make fire appear out of your hands and make the settee float around the room" She replied in a deadpan voice "I have a much higher standard for what I find strange since you entered my life, dearest nephew of mine" They stared at each other for a few moments, then both laughed._ _

__"Still - the fact that Dumbledore seems to think you spending the entire summer in the house, without even coming out into the garden, is normal, even acceptable behaviour, does seem a little worrying" Petunia continued "Do you want me to talk to him about it?" Harry quirked an eyebrow at her._ _

__"As fun as that might be, I think I can find better ways of playing with his head this year" He quickly explained what Dobby had told them, and that they had found Rowena during their trip to Diagon Alley "So hopefully - by the end of the year - you will have your nephew back without me being inside him" He paused "I swear that sounded less..... kinky when I thought it"_ _

__"One would hope" Petunia smirked "Do you think you'll get to say good-bye?"_ _

__"I am not sure" Harry admitted "Even after all this time, the three of us do not know how the curse will break. Whether it will snap the moment we kill the last scion, or if we can put our affairs in order" He paused "I promise I will try, but if not I am sure Harry will retain enough of my memories - or at least enough memory of what has happened while....."_ _

__"You've been inside him" Petunia smirked again, making Harry roll his eyes._ _

__"To be able to deal with the fall out of me leaving" He finished "Promise me you'll look after.... me? Him?" He shook his head "Promise me you won't treat him any differently once I have left?"_ _

__"I promise" Petunia nodded._ _

__"Thank you" Harry smiled "Then I am going to go and take a nap, then I am going to go out to the park and see if the followers follow me or just let me run wild through the streets" Petunia laughed as Harry went up stairs._ _

__xoxox_ _

__"So I will see you at Christmas, my little moonbeam" Xenophillius bent down and kissed the top of Luna's head as the stood at the entrance to Platform 9 3/4 "Assuming you haven't found and killed TLS before then, of course"_ _

__"Of course" Luna smiled back at him, before throwing her arms around him "I just wanted to say thank you for everything, Daddy" She squeezed him tightly "And your daughter will come back to you, whether we find the last scion or not - just without the bonus voices in her head" Xeno laughed._ _

__"I look forward to seeing you soon, sweetie" He popped another kiss on the top of her head, then turned and ambled down the platform while she turned to face the portal._ _

__"Draco - the broom is not just for playing quidditch" Luna looked round at the sound of the voice, then moved her trolley behind a pillar as a family of three came into view._ _

__"I don't understand, Father" The boy - Draco, Luna assumed - stared at the older man "What else can I use it for?"_ _

__"You have to make friends, Draco - expand your influence" The father continued "Becoming more popular will assist you in that goal, and leading Slytherin House to The Quidditch Cup will definitely make you more popular"_ _

__"Especially if I can beat Gryffindor" Draco said with a slight smile on his face._ _

__"Careful, my son - do not let your desire get the better of you" His father's face darkened "Remember that we all have a larger destiny - a larger purpose to fulfil. And that temporary rewards are not as important as ensuring that destiny is reached"_ _

__"Yes father, I will not forget" Luna watched as Draco, his father and the mother - who had remained silent throughout their conversation - stepped into the portal to the platform and vanished, followed a moment later by a ragged looking house-elf pushing a trolley._ _

__"Malfoy is going to be on the Quidditch team?" She said to herself "This I have to tell the others"_ _

__xoxox_ _

__"It doesn't surprise me" Harry said quietly as he, Luna and Hermione were sat in a carriage on The Express "Even back in our day, some of my students were known for wanting to get ahead by any means necessary" He paused "And from what we've seen, it has only got worse - now it seems that they would sell their own mother to get ahead"_ _

__"But do Draco and Lucius really think winning at Quidditch is going to make him beloved?" Hermione quirked an eyebrow, but before either of the other two could reply, the compartment door slid open and Ronald walked in, accompanied by a slightly younger girl with equally red hair._ _

__"Ronald" Harry gave him a polite nod "How was your summer?"_ _

__"It was okay" Ronald smiled "This is my sister Ginny - she wanted to meet you" The younger girl blushed, then looked at Harry._ _

__"Hello" She said. Harry smiled back and held out his hand._ _

__"I'm Harry - nice to meet you" Ginny shook his hand, still blushing "And these are my friends Hermione and Luna" He gestured to the two girls._ _

__"We've met" Luna smiled "The Weasleys live on the other side of the village - Ginny and I have been friends all our lives"_ _

__"Sounds like someone I'd like to know" Hermione returned Luna's smile, then looked at Ginny and Ron "Come on in - sit down. Tell us about your summer"_ _

__"Does that include us as well?" As The Weasleys walked in and sat down, Sally and Neville walked into the door way, holding hands and both smiling widely "Because unless they found Atlantis, I think our summer is going to be way more interesting"_ _


	12. The Moon And The Star

"LUNA LOVEGOOD" McGonagall's voice echoed through The Great Hall, and Harry and Hermione watched as Luna walked slowly up the centre aisle to where The Sorting Hat was resting on the three legged stool. 

"Please put the hat on your head, Miss Lovegood" McGonagall smiled.

"I understand how it works, Professor" Luna said in a slightly condescending voice "I have just watched a dozen or so students get sorted before me" The few students who heard her laughed, but fell silent when McGonagall looked around with a glare. Luna resisted the urge to smile, then she picked up The Hat and sat down, placing The Hat on her head. 

"Miss.... My Lady. The last of the trio - I was wondering when you would arrive" The Sorting Hat spoke inside her mind in a respectful voice "Come to run rampage through your castle?"

"You know why I am here - it's why I am always where" Luna replied "To find him - to find him and kill him so that we can, finally, be free" She paused "Gryffindor"

"Pardon me?"

"My wife and Sal have found The Last Scion, and although we don't quite know where he is now, we are closer now to completing our quest than we have ever been before" Luna said emphatically "And if this is to be the last time I am here - the last time I attend my school - I want to do it with my wife" The Hat was silent for a few moments. 

"Very well" It said "And although I will miss you all - I wish you well and hope to never see you again, my Ladies and Lord" It paused for a few more moments, then yelled "GRYFFINDOR!" As she removed The Hat, she saw Harry and Hermione bound to their feet and burst into wild applause. 

xoxox

Dumbledore watched with a slight frown on his face as Luna walked over to the table on the far left of the hall and sat down between Harry and Hermione.

"Xeno's daughter in Gryffindor?" Filius followed his gaze "I would've sworn she'd be coming to me"

"As would I, Filius" Dumbledore inclined his head "And I was unaware that she knew Mr Potter or Miss Granger"

"If what I heard is true, they met in Diagon Alley, then came up on The Express together" Filius explained "Perhaps that was enough" He shrugged "Whatever the reason, you know we aren't allowed to second guess The Sorting Hat's decision on this"

"I am aware, Professor" Dumbledore said calmly, not looking away from the trio sat in the middle of the Gryffindor table "However there is nothing to stop me asking it why" 

xoxox

"GINNY WEASLEY" McGonagall watched as Arthur and Molly's only daughter walked up to the front of The Hall and picked up The Hat. 

"Miss Weasley - a pleasure to meet you...... oh my"

"What?" Ginny tried to stare upwards, then blinked as she nearly fell backwards off the stool "What?"

"My apologies - it is just.... you are not what I was expecting" The Hat said quietly. 

"You were expecting something?" Ginny blinked in surprise "You've heard of me?"

"You have six older brothers, young lady, all of whom I have had under my brim" The Hat smiled "You might not be first in their thoughts, but you were in their thoughts"

"Oh" Ginny paused, then shrugged "I hadn't realised"

"So it would seem" The Hat shrugged "However, the one thing they all agreed one, and the one thing they were right about was that - like them - you are a GRYFFINDOR!" Ginny removed The Hat, then walked over to where her brothers were on their feet applauding. She gave a slight bow, then sat down in one opposite Luna, watching as McGonagall carried The Sorting Hat away and Dumbledore walked to the front of the staff table.

"To our new students - welcome. To our old students - welcome back" He smiled, looking around The Great Hall "I have a number of announcements to make, but they can wait until after the meal" He waved his hands and the tables filled with food and drink "Enjoy" 

xoxox

"A Gryffindor?" Ginny stared across the table as the meal started to come to an end "I thought your family was Ravenclaw, all the way back to your great-grandparents?" Luna smiled back at her, then shrugged. 

"Maybe it was about time for a change" She reached out her hands, resting them on Harry's and Hermione's "Besides - I wanted to spend time with my friends"

"Friends......" Ron frowned "When....."

"We met on Back To School day" Harry said "We helped her out, and found out we all had a lot in common. Then we went for ice-cream and found out we had even more" He squeezed Luna's hand "I lost my parents too" Luna smiled back. 

"And my parents work a lot - leaving me home alone sometimes" Hermione added, squeezing her other hand "I am glad she's come to Gryffindor" 

"Me too" Harry said, then let go of Luna's hand to eat a scoop of ice-cream. 

"I hope you all enjoyed your meal" Dumbledore's voice broke through the chatter in The Hall, bringing silence to the room "As I said, I have one or two announcements" He glanced down at the podium that had appeared in front of him. 

"Hogsmeade visits for those in the third year and above will begin in the second week of October. You must have a signed permission form from your parent or guardian" He flipped the parchment over "Secondly, we have been very lucky in securing the services of a member of The Dark Force Defence League and an Order of Merlin Winner - Professor Gilderoy Lockhart" He turned to the end of the table where Lockhart was sat - dressed in a flamboyant suit of turquoise - and gave a polite nod. In return, Lockhart bounded to his feet, cloak billowing out behind him, and strode out to stand next to the Headmaster.

"Thank you, Albus" He said, then turned to face the students "Be assured, that although I am continuing my work with The Dark Force Defence League, as well as consulting with The Ministry and The Wizengamot you can be certain that my focus will - of course - be the children of Hogwarts. 

"Ech" Luna rolled her eyes "Doesn't that just make you full of fluffy feelings?" Harry and Hermione both laughed, while Ginny frowned.

"You don't think he's being honest?" She asked curiously. 

"I am sure HE thinks he is being honest" Luna replied quietly, then she shook her head "Later - Dumbledore isn't finished yet" They all fell silent as Lockhart returned to his seat and Dumbledore continued.

"Professor Kettleburn has decided to retire, to spend some time with his remaining limbs, and so I am pleased and proud to introduce our new Professor of Magical Creatures - Rubeus Hagrid" There was a polite smattering of applause as Hagrid stood up, a wide smile on his face.

"And finally I just want to announce that following an investigation from last year, the death of Professor Quirrell has been ruled an unfortunate accident and any stories, or rumours, to the contrary are entirely without foundation or merit" Dumbledore paused, then his face became serious "And anyone found circulating or repeating such stories will be dealt with in the most serious manner possible. I hope that I make myself clear" He fell silent for a moment, letting the message sink in, then smiled "Prefects - please escort the first years to your common rooms, and everyone - enjoy the rest of your evenings. Good night" 

xoxox

"You visited Pompeii?" Hermione asked as the group of Gryffindors walked towards the common room, following Percy's lead. 

"Daddy takes me out on trips during the summer" Luna nodded, smiling softly "When I was younger, he worked a lot of the time, but since......" She trailed off, her smile fading slightly. 

"Since your mother died" Ginny supplied, and Luna nodded.

"Since the accident, he has spent more time with me during the second half of the summer and we spend one or two weeks in another country" She paused, then her smile brightened again "This time he wanted to investigate the heliopaths that are said to inhabit the ruins of Pompeii - ever since the city was destroyed all those years ago"

"Heliopaths?" Ron asked, a slight hint of contempt in his tone. 

"Beings of pure fire" Luna explained "They usually live in the earth - they are rarely seen above ground, except after volcano eruptions or other fire related disasters" She paused "And they are truly beautiful creatures" 

"You saw some?" Hermione asked. 

"There is a small colony living in one of the more remote areas" Luna nodded "Despite being made of pure flame, they have an innate level of control over their bodies that is very impressive - they could pass through a forest and not leave a single leaf scorched"

"I suppose you had tea with them?" Ron suggested in a sarcastic voice, then blushed when Harry, Hermione and Ginny all turned to glare at him "Sorry"

"They aren't that welcoming to non-ignis races - despite their control, they have learned that we don't do too well spending a lot of time around them" She paused "I would have liked to learn more - even visit one of their underground colonies, but it is really not possible" 

"Given they live in pure magma, I would imagine" Hermione laughed, then the group came to a halt in front of the portrait "Callasadia" 

"Welcome back, Miss Granger, Mr Potter" The Fat Lady gave a polite nod. 

"This is our new friend and Gryffindor student Miss Luna Lovegood" Harry nodded at Luna.

"Miss Lovegood" Another polite nod.

"Greetings" Luna returned the nod, then the six students stepped through the portal and into the common room. 

"So what else did you do in Pompeii?" Neville asked "Or was it just meeting mythical beings from the earth's core?"

"We explored the ruined city - the way it has been preserved is kind of fascinating" Luna admitted, then she snorted in amusement "We met two American wizards as well" She giggled again.

"Something amuses you?" Hermione quirked an eyebrow. 

"It was a mother and son, and I think the mother had a thing for Daddy" Luna smirked "Daddy wasn't interested, but they took us out for lunch anyway. The mother - Harriet - asked us where we were from" She shook her head "Daddy told them we were from Ottery St Catchpole, but apparently they didn't know where that was" 

"Are you surprised?" Ginny asked "It's not that famous"

"True" Luna shrugged "But when he told them, Harriet asked where that was - what state it was in" She paused "So I said 'If I'm honest, pretty much the same state as Pompeii'" Hermione and Harry burst out laughing, while Ron and Ginny simply stared at her in confusion "Well - I thought it was funny"

xoxxo

"Can you explain Miss Lovegood?" Dumbledore stared up at The Sorting Hat as it sat on its shelf. 

"Professor Dumbledore, it is not an understatement to say that no one can explain Miss Lovegood" The Hat replied "While unique means one of a kind, and so adding any adjectives to the word is superfluous, there are one or two people in history who are utterly and totally unique - Miss Luna Lovegood is one of those people" It paused "But if you want any further explanation, I am afraid I must disappoint you - if I say any more, I will violate the magic The Founders used to create me and that will be, as they say, all she wrote" 

"But...." 

"All. She. Wrote!" The Sorting Hat insisted, then fell silent. Dumbledore continue to stare at it for a moment, then turned away to face the rest of the staff.

"It would appear that Miss Lovegood's...... destiny will have to remain a mystery for now" He said after a moment "However it would appear she has made some friends in Gryffindor already, and I believe that she and young Miss Weasley grew up together" He paused "Unless anyone has anything else to add, I believe we should move on?" He looked around the table, but everyone remained silent "Very well - The Quidditch Cup......."

xoxox

"Well - I think it is time for bed" Luna stood up, then looked at Hermione "Walk me up"

"Of course" Hermione got to her feet "Good night all" 

"Sleep well, sweetie" Harry said, making her smile.

"I will" She turned and followed Luna up the stairs, glancing over her shoulder when she reached the top. When she was sure they were alone, she and Luna went into the first year girls dorm room. 

"Seal the room" Hermione said quietly, then - as the door vanished behind her - she turned to Luna "So - how much of the story was true?" Luna smiled back at her, sitting down on her bed.

"I have never been to Pompeii, Heliopaths are entirely made up - based on balrogs from The Lord of The Rings, I think - and the story about Harriet and her son comes from one of Daddy's favourite comedy albums" Hermione smirked. 

"Has anyone ever told you you are very good at improvisation?" She asked, sitting down next to her. 

"I think my wife has mentioned it before now" Luna said, leaning her head on Hermione's shoulder "Oh good I have missed you" She closed her eyes "I have missed you so much"

"Me too, my love" Hermione slipped an arm around her "You know we will have to be careful"

"I know" Luna sighed "But we will find a way - we always have" She paused "And we will find him - this will all be over soon" 

"I know" Hermione replied, then glanced to the door "Ginny is coming up the stairs - apparently she has got tired of flirting with Sal" Luna snorted in amusement, then waved her hand. The door to the dormitory reappeared and - as she and Hermione moved slightly apart - Ginny came in. 

"Hermione?" Ginny blinked in surprise "You are in this dorm as well?"

"I was just helping Luna get settled" Hermione said "Second years get the dorm on the next floor up" She stood up "See you tomorrow morning, Luna?"

"I can't wait, Hermione" Luna grinned "Sleep well, and dream nice dreams" 

xoxox

"Good morning children!" Lockhart strode into The Defence Classroom and came to a halt at the front of the room. He paused for a moment, then continued in a dramatic voice "My name is Gilderoy Lockhart and I am your Defence Against The Dark Arts Professor" Hermione and Harry exchanged glances. 

"The magical world can be a dark and dangerous place - there are creatures and monsters who would eat you as soon as look at you. The terrible two headed banshee of Bangalor. The three tailed tri-ax of Tripoli. The shape-shifting sarlaac of Samarkand" He paused "But I have fought all these creatures and lived to tell the tale - for I have defeated each and every one, and I will tell you how I managed it" 

"Won't that be fun?" Hermione whispered under her breath, making Harry grin. 

"But first - a little quiz, to see how much you may have learned during the summer and who hear knows me best" Lockhart turned back to the desk, picked up a pile of parchments then turned back to face the class and started to hand them out.

Hermione glanced at it as it landed on her desk, then her eyes widened as she read through the list of questions. 

"Is he serious?" She asked in a whisper, looking across at Harry who - she was amused to see - had the same expression on his face that she did. 

"What is Professor Lockhart's favourite colour?" He whispered back "What would be his greatest wish?" 

"What is this?" She looked up at their teacher "He really expects us to fill this out?" 

"So it would appear" Harry replied, then paused "Do we?" He looked around to see the rest of the second years starting to write "I guess we do?"

"Why not?" Hermione shrugged, then - with a wicked grin - added "No one said we had to actually take it seriously"

xoxox

Half an hour later, Lockhart looked up from the parchments with a smile on his face.

"Well - I have finished marking the quizzes" He said, looking around the classroom "Most of you did very well - Miss Parkinson got 45 out of 50, the highest score on the test" Pansy blushed at the smile he gave her "However some of you did not do very well - Mr Potter, Miss Granger - I want to see you after class to discuss your performance"

"Yes, sir" Harry and Hermione said in unison, while Draco smirked at them. 

"In the meantime, lets move onto a more practical exercise" Lockhart drew his wand and walked over to a blanket covered object "Under this cover I have some of the most dangerous and violent creatures..... ones that you confront at your peril" He paused "Prepare yourself to confront....... " He whipped the blanket off revealing a cage full of blue creatures. 

"Pixies?" Seamus Finnigan asked in a sneering voice. 

"Cornish Pixies, Mr Finnigan!" Lockhart said "The most cunning and devious of all the species" He paused, then reached for the lock on the cage "But since you find them so funny, let us see if you can HANDLE THEM!" He flipped the lock up and the door sprang open, releasing the horde of pixies into the classroom. 

xoxox

Ginny and Luna were re-potting a venomous tentacula in one of the greenhouses when Ginny realised Luna wasn't paying as much attention as she had been.

"Luna? Are you feeling alright?" She asked quietly, glancing up the length of the greenhouse to where Professor Sprout was dealing with Colin Creevey. Luna continued to stare into space for a moment, then she shook her head - as if to clear it - then looked at her friend.

"Sorry - just.... day dreaming, I guess" She smiled "Where were we?" 

"I was just about to move the plant - I was hoping you could keep the tentacles from ripping my sleeves" Ginny replied.

"As you wish" Luna nodded, then glanced down, trying to ignore the images flooding her mind - images of Hermione and Harry hiding under a desk, watching as the rest of the Gryffindors and Slytherins battled a horde of rampaging pixies. 

xoxox

"This is our brave and fearless Defence Teacher?" Harry asked with an amused grin, watching as Lockhart bolted for the door to his office and locked it behind him "I'm impressed"

"My legs are all a quiver" Hermione replied in a deadpan voice, then she watched as a pixie lifted Ron up and hung him from the chanderlier in the centre of the room "But I think quivering time is over" She drew her wand "Shall we?"

"On zero?" He asked.

"On zero" She nodded. 

"Three. Two. One. ZERO!" As he finished, they both jumped up and started firing stunning spells around the room. 

xoxox

"That's my girl" Luna whispered to herself.

xoxox

Less than two minutes later, the floor was littered with pixies, while Harry and Hermione were stood, back to back, in the centre of the room with their wands drawn. 

"And that, as they say, is that" Harry looked around, then lowered his wand , slipping it into his pocket. 

"Professor - you can come out now" Hermione called out. A moment later, the door to Lockhart's office opened a crack and a face appeared at it. A few seconds later the door was flung open and Lockhart strode out, a wide smile on his face.

"Well done!" He gave them both a brief round of applause "Although I may have done it a little differently you both did superbly for two second year students" He walked down the steps and came to a halt at the front of the classroom.

"I hope you were all paying attention to my first lesson - your homework tonight is to write an essay on the Cornish Pixie and the best ways to catch them in the wild" He paused, then beamed at Harry and Hermione "I would suggest using young Mr Potter and Miss Granger's methods as a starting point. Class dismissed" As the rest of the students began to pack up their stuff and leave, Harry and Hermione put their books into their bags and walked to the front of the classroom.

"You wanted to see us, Professor?" Hermione asked. 

"I did?" Lockhart stared at them for a moment, then he blinked "Oh yes - I did" He looked down at his desk "Your answers to the questionnaire were very interesting, but they showed a marked lack of understanding of the subject" He looked up at them "In fact, if I did not know better, I would think you were both mocking me"

"Us, sir?" Harry asked innocently.

"Mocking you, sir?" Hermione asked in the same innocent tone. Lockhart alternated his gaze between the two of them.

"Please take two more copies and fill them in - I want them on my desk first thing tomorrow morning" He said after a moment, handing them two more pieces of parchment "This is in addition to the essay on pixies"

"Yes, sir" Hermione nodded, taking both pieces of parchment. 

"And I expect you to take the quiz seriously this time" Lockhart added.

"Of course, sir" Harry replied "May we go now?"

"Dismissed" He waved his hand, then turned and walked back up the stairs to his office. After he closed the door Hermione looked over at Harry. 

"Maybe the mirror comment was a bit over the top?" She suggested. He regarded her thoughtfully for a moment, then shook his head.

"Nah" He said, making her laugh. 

xoxox

"Nice lesson with our star professor?" Luna asked as Harry and Hermione walked into The Great Hall for lunch. 

"Oh yes" Hermione replied, sitting down next to Luna, while Harry took the vacant space on the other side "Best lesson ever"

"Really?" Luna looked at her in surprise. 

"No, not really" Hermione sighed "For a world famous defence expert, he is a bit of a prat"

"A useless prat at that" Harry chimed in "You saw?" Luna nodded.

"We re-established our link last night, just before bed" Hermione said, then blushed slightly "Not that the timing was in any way relevant, of course"

"Of course" Harry said with a smirk, then turned back to Luna "He tried to pass it off as a teaching moment, but there is something..... off about him" He paused, then shrugged "As long he doesn't get in our way, I don't suppose it matters"

"He might even be useful" Hermione added, leaning forward and resting her elbows on the table "Dumbledore's last hire was possessed by a Dark Lord and found dead at the end of last term and now his latest hire is a useless twazzock. Quite aside from our education, the fact that the fifth and seventh years are in danger of failing their exams" She smiled "If we want to take him down - and we do want to take him down - then this will definitely help our cause" Harry and Luna smiled back at her.

"So are you going to do the homework he gave you?" Luna asked.

"If we're going to pretend we are good little boys and girls that is" He looked at his two friends "Are we?" They both stared back at him.

"We are" They nodded.


End file.
